Accumulation of aliphatic amines in gastric juice of acute renal failure patients. Possible cause of hypergastrinemia associated with uremia

In this study we analyzed by gas chromatographic headspace analysis the composition and concentration of gastrin-stimulatory volatile aliphatic amines in the gastric juice of healthy subjects and acute renal failure patients. We demonstrated that although these aliphatic amines are present in the gastric juice of normal subjects in trace amounts, they accumulate in the gastric juice of uremic subjects. This 30-40-fold elevation in gastric juice amine concentration agreed favorably with the 40-50-fold augmentation in serum gastrin levels in acute renal failure, with a significant association (r = 0.87) existing between these two parameters. It was also determined that a 2-hr hemodialysis procedure resulted in a modest nonparallel decline in both gastric amine and serum gastrin levels. These results support the hypothesis that the accumulation of volatile aliphatic amines in the gastric juice of uremic individuals may induce an activation of the antral G cells, resulting in hypergastrinemia.