Effect of vagotomy on the gastric secretory response to intraduodenal osmotic agents in man.

The effect of intraduodenal infusion of hypertonic saline and glucose on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion was investigated in 35 normal subjects, 32 duodenal ulcer patients and 32 patients after truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty. A significant gastric inhibitory response occurred after 0.51 M saline and 1-03 M glucose in the normal subjects and duodenal ulcer patients but after vagotomy there was no inhibition. This finding suggests that the inhibitory effect of these agents depends, at least in part, on a vagal reflex in man. The response to very high glucose concentrations persisted after vagotomy and it seems likely that a humoral mechanism may be involved in this situation.