Clinical significance of glucagon provocation test in hypergastrinemias

Glucagon provocation test was performed in the patients with hypergastrinemia and petic ulcer to investigate its diagnostic value. A paradoxical response of plasma gastrin level in the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome was demonstrated by glucagon infusion. Glucagon provocation test, therefore, was considered to be of great value in the differentiation of the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome from other diseases with hypergastrinemia and peptic ulcer. Secretin provocation test sometimes caused the false positive results because of a marked increase of pancreatic secretion. Glucagon provocation test, on the other hand, had less possibility to produce the false positive results because glucagon inhibited the pancreatic secretion. Glucagon provocation test was considered to be more useful than secretin provocation test in this respect. Consequently, glucagon provocation test in combination with secretin provocation test is at present the most preferable diagnostic procedure for detecting the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.