title: Pancreatic cholera syndrome due to a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-producing tumor: further insights into the pathophysiology.
abstract: This case report describes a patient with pancreatic cholera caused by a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-producing pancreatic tumor. The case presents several unusual characteristics of this disease. The primary tumor was a mucinous adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The serum vasoactive intestinal polypeptide level of 2400 pmol/L is the highest reported. At this vasoactive intestinal polypeptide level, the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 at doses up to 2 mg/24 h did not control the 21 L/24 h stool output. Fecal incontinence due to a manometrically documented hypotonic internal anal sphincter occurred. Using surgically created stomas, the segmental gastrointestinal fluid and sodium losses were shown to be greatest from the jejunum, whereas potassium losses from the colon and small intestine were equal. The cellular mechanism for the small intestinal potassium secretion is not known.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rood
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: DeLellis
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dayal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donowitz
mesh_terms: D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology; D002713:Chlorine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D003969:Vipoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D002713:Chlorine; D011188:Potassium