Medical expert of the article
New publications
Gastrin in the blood
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Reference values (norm) for gastrin concentration in blood plasma in adults are 25-90 pg/ml (ng/l).
Gastrin is formed in the G cells of the antrum of the stomach and is synthesized in small quantities in the mucous membrane of the small intestine. The main forms of gastrin (G) in blood plasma are G-34 (large gastrin, with a half-life of 42 min), G-17 (small gastrin, with a half-life of 5 min) and G-14 (minigastrin, with a half-life of 5 min). G-17 consists of 17 amino acids and is a mature hormone, the G-34 form contains 34 amino acids and is a biologically active precursor of gastrin. The main method for determining the concentration of gastrin in blood plasma is RIA, which detects both hormones in total in one sample. Gastrin stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid. Fluctuations in the concentration of gastrin in the blood are subject to a daily rhythm: the lowest values are noted in the period from 3 to 7 am, the highest - during the daytime or in connection with food intake.
The greatest clinical significance of determining the level of gastrin in the blood is for diagnosing Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (an increase in concentration to 300-350,000 pg/ml is detected in 93% of patients). An increase in the concentration of gastrin in the blood is possible with pernicious anemia (130-2300 pg/ml), stomach cancer, atrophic gastritis, and chronic renal failure. For differential diagnostics of pathology causing an increase in gastrin in the blood, a test with stimulation with calcium chloride or secretin is used. Calcium chloride is administered intravenously by drip at a dose of 15 mg/kg in 500 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution for 4 hours. Blood samples are taken on an empty stomach and 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours after the administration of calcium chloride. In Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, the gastrin content in blood samples increases to more than 450 pg/ml, while in patients with atrophic gastritis and pernicious anemia, it decreases. The criteria for diagnosis include: gastric juice pH below 3, fasting serum gastrin concentration above 1000 pg/ml or its increase by more than 200 pg/ml within 15 minutes after intravenous administration of secretin, or by more than 450 pg/ml after administration of calcium chloride.
A decrease in the concentration of gastrin in the blood is detected in patients after gastrectomy and with hypothyroidism.
[ 1 ]