Variation and physiological significance of basal gastrinemia in normal children.

The objective of the present study was to determine the variation of normal basal gastrinemia values in children of different age ranges. Basal gastrinemia levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 30 normal children aged 2 months to 9 years divided into 3 groups: 1) 11 children aged 2 to 6 months; 2) 9 children aged 7 to 18 months, and 3) 10 children aged 20 month to 9 years. Basal gastrinemia levels varied from 11 to 533 pg/ml (mean = 138.47, SD = 131.56) and correlated significantly to the children's ages. Differences were not statistically significant between group I (mean = 191.82, SD = 116.26) and group II (mean = 186.11, SD = 161.65) but were significant between group I and group I and group III (mean = 36.9, SD = 17.67) and between group II and group III. The results demonstrate that basal gastrinemia levels of normal children are inversely correlated with age, the highest values being observed up to 18 months of age. A marked decrease in basal gastrinemia occurs thereafter reaching levels similar to those reported for adults. The authors speculate whether the hypergastrinemia observed in the present study may be indicative of an important physiological function of gastrin in the ontogenic development of the stomach.