Excretion of 4-hydroxy-3 methoxy mandelic acid in cases of ulcerative colitis and diarrhoea of nervous origin.

Urinary excretion of 4-hydroxy-3 methoxy mandelic acid (VMA) was used as an index of catecholamine activity in 59 cases of ulcerative colitis compared with 59 controls and 18 cases of diarrhoea of nervous origin. No significant differences were observed between cases and controls but the level of VMA excretion was raised in nervous diarrhoea.