The Role of Hormones in the Pathophysiology of Acute and Chronic Diarrhea

It has been estimated that between 5 and 20 million children die each year as a result of acute and chronic diarrhea. The investigation of the pathogenesis and treatment of this major clinical problem is, therefore, of special importance, representing one of the most important challenges to medicine in the last decades of this century. Aspects of the pathophysiology of the clinical problem that have not yet been well denned are the role of hormones in the etiology of the diarrhea and the effects of diarrhea itself on the secretion and function of hormones. This chapter surveys the reasons why an understanding of hormone release in these contexts may be of particular relevance and documents current knowledge as well as indicating areas for future research.