Plasma gastrin responses to arginine in chronic pancreatitis

Serum gastrin responses to intravenous L arginine hydrochloride were measured in insulinopenic and noninsulinopenic patients with chronic pancreatitis and in suitable control subjects. There were no differences between any of the groups studied. Pancreatitis did not impair gastrin responses to arginine nor was gastrin an important determinant of insulin secretion in these patients.