Chronic hypergastrinemia: causes and consequences.

The hormone gastrin plays 2 important roles in gastrointestinal physiology--1 as a major factor in meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion and the other as a trophic hormone for epithelial and enterochromaffin cells. These roles are exaggerated to the point of pathology under conditions of chronic hypergastrinemia as exemplified by the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and pernicious anemia. More recently, the concern about the potential risk of chronic hypergastrinemia has risen because of the widespread use of proton pump inhibitors for maintenance therapy in reflux esophagitis. For this reason, we present a concise overview of the origin, causes, and potential risks of chronic hypergastrinemia.