Somatostatin and large bowel polyps.
OBJECTIVE
Somatostatin, a polypeptide hormone, inhibits cellular proliferation of the mucosa. As this cellular proliferation has been observed in large bowel polyps and cancer, the exact pattern of secretion may be of importance to the understanding of such diseases.


METHODS
The circadian (24 hours rhythmicity) of plasma somatostatin was studied and established in patients suffering from large bowel polyps. Blood was drawn from the study subjects at regular intervals and the plasma somatostatin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
In both groups, a circadian rhythm of somatostatin was confirmed. In patients with P higher mesor (p < 0.05), higher 24 hour amplitude (p < 0.05) and longer acrophase (p < 0.05) were found.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings may indicate the defense antiproliferative role of somatostatin in malignant and premalignant states. Somatostatin may prove beneficial as one of the treatment possibilities for large bowel polyps.
Payer
J
J
1st Department of Internal Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Huorka
M
M
Duris
I
I
Mikulecky
M
M
Kratochvilovà
H
H
Ondrejka
P
P
D018256:Adenomatous Polyps / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D013004:Somatostatin