Misdiagnosis of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome due to hyperlipidemia.
Most authorities feel that diagnosis of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is established when the serum gastrin level is greater than 1000 pg/mL (1000 ng/L) in a patient with gastric acid hypersecretion and clinical manifestations consistent with the diagnosis. A patient with recurrent peptic ulcer disease is reported who was thought to have had the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome based on two serum gastrin level measurements greater than 1000 pg/mL (1000 ng/L). Subsequent evaluation revealed the gastrin elevation to be spurious because the sample was hyperlipidemic. Lipemic serum samples may yield falsely elevated serum gastrin determinations as determined by radioimmunoassay.
Romeo
D P
DP
Department of Medicine, Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ohio.
Weesner
R E
RE
Giannella
R A
RA
D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015043:Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D005755:Gastrins