[The role of hypergastrinemia in the pathogenesis of intussusception in infants].

From 1988 to 1992 the serum gastrin levels of 124 patients with intussusception and 20 normal infants and 15 patients with intestinal obstruction under 3 years of age were measured. Serum cAMP levels of 10 normal infants and 10 patients with intussusception were determined. In animal experiment study, the pressures of ileum cavity and ileoceal valve were determined before and after injectting pentagastrin into the veins of 8 young dogs. The levels of gastrin (219.9 +/- 100.6 pg/ml) and cAMP (32.4 +/- 7.6 pmol/ml) were higher in patient group than in the control group. (89 +/- 3 pg/ml, P < 0.05 and 22.2 +/- 7.5 pmol/ml P < 0.05). The result of animal experiment showed that the effect of gastrin and etiology of intussusception are identical. The main physiological funcitons of gastrin is to increase the intestinal peristalsis and relax the ileocecal sphincter. Our study showed that hypergastrinemia may be the basis etiologic factor of intussusception. Main clinical feactures were explained by this new theory.