Intractable diarrhoea in a patient with vasoactive intestinal peptide-secreting neuroblastoma. Attempted control by somatostatin.
A 1 1/2 year old child developed profuse watery diarrhoea, shown to be due to excessive plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) levels, whilst on treatment for metastatic neuroblastoma. Because it was unresponsive to alternative treatment, an attempt was made to control the diarrhoea with a somatostatin infusion. The attempt failed despite the fact that serum VIP levels were substantially reduced. Possible reasons for failure are discussed and the importance of plasma VIP as a marker for maturation in neuroblastoma emphasised.
D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin