Gastrin Blood Test

The Gastrin Blood Test is used to detect an overproduction of gastrin, to help diagnose Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and G-cell hyperplasia, and to monitor for recurrence of a gastrin-producing tumor (gastrinoma).

Description

Gastrin is a hormone produced by "G-cells" in the part of the stomach called the antrum. It regulates the production of acid in the body of the stomach during the digestive process. This test measures the amount of gastrin in the blood to help evaluate an individual with recurrent peptic ulcers and/or other serious abdominal symptoms.

A gastrin test may be done to:

• Find out why a peptic ulcer keeps coming back.
• Check for certain diseases, such as tumors of the pancreas or small intestine (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome) or abnormal growth of cells that line the stomach (G-cell hyperplasia).
• Help identify pernicious anemia.

Too much gastrin causes severe peptic ulcer disease. A higher than normal level may also be due to:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Long-term gastritis
• Over-activity of the gastrin-producing cells in the stomach (G-cell hyperplasia)
• Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach
• Use of antacids or medicines to treat heartburn
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a gastrin-producing tumor that may develop in the stomach or pancreas

Medicines that can increase gastrin measurements include antacids, H₂ -blocking agents (such as cimetidine), and proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole).