Secretin Enzyme Stimulation Test

Pancreatic function test

The secretin stimulation test measures the ability of the pancreas to respond to a hormone called secretin. The small intestine produces secretin when partially digested food from the stomach moves into the area.

A test is used to measure the amount of gastric acid made by the stomach. The patient receives an injection of the hormone gastrin or insulin. A tube is put through the nose or throat into the stomach and samples are taken from the stomach and sent to a laboratory for testing

How the Test is Performed

The doctor inserts a tube through your nose and into your stomach. The tube is then moved into the first part of the small intestine ( duodenum ). You are given secretin through a vein (intravenously). The fluids released from the pancreas into the duodenum are removed through the tube over the next 1 to 2 hours.

Sometimes the fluid can be collected during an endoscopy.

How to Prepare for the Test

You will be asked to not eat or drink anything, including water, for 12 hours before the test.

How the Test will Feel

You may have a gagging feeling as the tube is inserted.

Why the Test is Performed

Secretin causes the pancreas to release a fluid that contains digestive enzymes. These enzymes break down food and help the body absorb nutrients.

The secretin stimulation test is done to check the digestive function of the pancreas. The following diseases may prevent the pancreas from working properly:

  • Chronic pancreatitis
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Pancreatic cancer

In these conditions, there may be a lack of digestive enzymes or other chemicals in the fluid that comes from the pancreas. This can reduce the body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients.

Normal Results

Normal value ranges may vary slightly depending on the lab doing the test. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal values may mean that the pancreas is not working properly.

Risks

There is a slight risk of the tube being placed through the windpipe and into the lungs, instead of through the esophagus and into the stomach.

FAQ

What is the secretin stimulation test?

  • A test is used to measure the ability of the pancreas to respond to a hormone called secretin. Secretin causes the pancreas, liver, and stomach to release substances that help digest food. During a secretin stimulation test, a tube is inserted through the nose or throat into the stomach and small intestine.

How do you stimulate secretin?

Regulation of synthesis and release
  • Secretin is synthesized and secreted by S cells in the small intestine, and neurons in the brain. Secretin release is mainly stimulated by gastric acid delivered into the duodenal lumen. In addition, secretin is released by digested products of fat and protein.

What does secretin hormone stimulate?

  • Secretin stimulates the secretion of bicarbonate-rich pancreatic fluid. Secretin enters the intestinal lumen and stimulates bicarbonate secretion, ultimately neutralizing gastric H+, which plays an essential role in fat digestion by creating a more neutral (pH 6 to 8) environment.

What is a secretion test?

  • A test is used to measure the amount of gastric acid made by the stomach. The patient receives an injection of the hormone gastrin or insulin. A tube is put through the nose or throat into the stomach and samples are taken from the stomach and sent to a laboratory for testing.

Why is secretin needed?

  • Secretin causes the pancreas to release a fluid that contains digestive enzymes. These enzymes break down food and help the body absorb nutrients. The secretin stimulation test is done to check the digestive function of the pancreas.

Does secretin increase pH?

  • In humans, the secretin peptide is encoded by the SCT gene. Chr. Secretin helps regulate the pH of the duodenum by (1) inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid from the parietal cells of the stomach and (2) stimulating the production of bicarbonate from the ductal cells of the pancreas.

What type of hormone is secretin?

  • Secretin is synthesized as a preprohormone, then proteolytically processed to yield a single 27-amino acid peptide by removal of the signal peptide plus amino and carboxy-terminal extensions. The sequence of the mature peptide is related to that of glucagon, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and gastric inhibitory peptide.

What is pancreatic stimulation?

  • This is an endoscopic procedure used to diagnose pancreatic insufficiency. Your child will be given general anesthesia. While asleep, your child will be given hormones through an IV that make the pancreas secrete fluid.

How does secretin enter the pancreas?

  • When hydrochloric acid passes from the stomach into the duodenum, secretin is released into the bloodstream and stimulates the duct cells of the pancreas to secrete water and bicarbonate.

Which part of the body secretes the hormone secretin?

  • Secretin is secreted by S cells in the small intestine and affects the function of a number of organ systems.

What do CCK and secretin do?

  • Secretin stimulates the flow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder. CCK stimulates the gallbladder to contract, causing bile to be secreted into the duodenum.

How does secretin affect pancreatic juice?

  • The predominant effect of secretin on the pancreas is to stimulate duct cells to secrete water and bicarbonate. As soon as this occurs, the enzymes secreted by the acinar cells are flushed out of the pancreas, and through the pancreatic duct into the duodenum.

Does secretin affect bile?

  • Secretin exerts pharmacological effects on a number of organs including the heart, kidney, lung, and brain (40-43). Secretin has been shown to stimulate bile and bicarbonate secretion in the duodenum (44), pancreatic (45) and biliary (3,7,46) ducts as well gastric pepsin secretion (47).

Does secretin stimulate the pancreas to produce pepsin?

  • Secretin neutralizes acid in the intestine by effects on the pancreas Sherwood et al (2000), Banks et al (2002). In addition, secretin causes the secretion of gastric pepsin, somatostatin, bile, and insulin, and it inhibits the secretion of gastric acid and gut motility Sherwood et al (2000), Banks et al (2002).

What are the mechanisms of secretin secretion regulation?

  • Stimulation of pancreatic water and bicarbonate secretion represents the main physiologic action of secretin, resulting in neutralization of the acidic chyme entering the proximal intestines. Low intraduodenal pH triggers secretin secretion, which results in an incremental release of pancreatic water and bicarbonate.

What receptor does secretin bind to?

  • The secretin receptor is a guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptor (GPCR) that binds to and is activated by the peptide hormone, secretin.
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Where is secretin found?

  • Secretin is synthesized and secreted by S cells in the small intestine, and neurons in the brain. Secretin release is mainly stimulated by gastric acid delivered into the duodenal lumen. In addition, secretin is released by digested products of fat and protein.

How do CCK and secretin regulate pancreatic secretion?

  • Interactions among secretin, CCK, and neurotensin produce a synergistic stimulatory effect. Motilin modulates the cyclic pattern of pancreatic secretion while local insulin provides a permissive role for the action of secretin and CCK at physiological concentration.

What triggers the release of secretin from the small intestine?

  • The presence of acidic, fatty chyme in the small intestine causes the release of secretin. – This, in turn, inhibits further entry of stomach contents into the intestine until the fat has been emulsified and the pH raised.
  • Secretin is secreted in response to acid and stimulates the pancreatic acini to secrete NaHCO3 so that the acid contents emerging through the pylorus are neutralized.

Why does secretin increase gastrin in gastrinoma?

  • Thus, in this gastrinoma patient, secretin and somatostatin appeared to act directly on gastrinoma cells to stimulate and inhibit gastrin secretion, respectively, by modulating adenylate cyclase activation, probably via guanine nucleotide-binding proteins.

Why does secretin inhibit intestinal motility?

  • Secretin has been shown to delay gastric emptying and inhibit gastric motility. We have demonstrated that secretin acts on the afferent vagal pathway to induce gastric relaxation in the rat. However, the efferent pathway that mediates the action of secretin on gastric motility remains unknown.

What is a secretin stimulation test in gastrinoma?

  • Rationale: This test has been used to help diagnose gastrinoma. The administration of secretin produces a marked increase in gastrin (increase >200 ng/L) in most patients with gastrinoma.

Does secretin increase gastrin?

  • Both the peak gastrin and the integrated gastrin responses were increased after secretin administration in each of the patients in this combined series, although the magnitude of the increase was small in four patients.

What is a positive secretin stimulation test?

  • The secretin stimulation test measures the ability of the pancreas to respond to a hormone called secretin. The small intestine produces secretin when partially digested food from the stomach moves into the area.

Why is secretin needed?

  • Secretin causes the pancreas to release a fluid that contains digestive enzymes. These enzymes break down food and help the body absorb nutrients. The secretin stimulation test is done to check the digestive function of the pancreas.