Study of possible role of calcitonin in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer

ABSTRACT

Our study aimed to clarify the possible role of calcitonin in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer in relation to other factors such as serum calcium, phosphorus, gastrin, parathormone and gastric acidity. Serum calcitonin was significantly lower in all patients group when compared to controls. Serum calcitonin was also significantly lower in patients with high serum parathormone. Serum gastrin and parathormone showed significantly higher levels in different patient groups when compared to controls. Serum calcium was significantly higher in all patients, compared to controls. Furthermore, frank hypercalcaemia was elicited in 24 patients [31.1 percent], thus showing the increased incidence of hypercalcaemia in duodenal ulcer patients and that this is likely to predispose to the ulcer and its resistance to treatment. Study of titratable gastric acidity in our patients showed that it was significantly higher in all patients group and in patients not receiving treatment group, but did not differ significantly in patients resilient to treatment group, when compared to controls. It was also significantly higher in patents with high serum parathormone