Abstract. The acid concentration and quantity, the pH and the peptic activity of the gastric juice were measured after stimulation with pentagastrin in 10 children with cystic fibrosis between the ages 2 and 12 years and in 20 healthy children of the same age group. Furthermore, the. basal, maximal and peak volume outputs (BVO, ~VO and PVO), the basal, maximal and peak acid outputs (BAO, MAO and PAO) and the basal, maximal and peak pepsin output (BPO, MPO and PPO) were determined. The statistical calculations were carried out with the help of partial hierarchical analysis of variance, comparison of regression curves, simple analysis of covariancc and the t test.After stimulation with pentagastrin, the volume of the gastric juice, the acid quantity and the peptic activity were found to be dependent on age in healthy children as well as in children with cystic fibrosis. The maximal volume of secretion in children with cystic fibrosis is less than that of healthy children; however, the acid quantity and peptic activity show no significant difference in both groups. The volume of the gastric juice, acid quantity and peptic activity in basal and stimulated secretions, expressed in kilograms per body weight or surface area in square meters, are independent of age and show no significant difference between the two groups.In the two groups the curves for the three parameters differ significantly from one to another.There is a significant shift in the time course of the curves that depict the acid secretion and peptic activity. Contrary to the accepted views, the acid and enzyme secretions are not closely interrelated.Based on the acidity and peptic activity, the digestive capacity of the stomach is the same for healthy children and children with cystic fibrosis. In contrast to the pancreas, 4here is no impairment in the exocrine function of the stomach. The gastric secretions of children with cystic fibrosis are not completely the same as in healthy children.

The viscosity of gastric juice and the concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride ions were measured before and after stimulation with pentagastrin in 10 children with cystic fibrosis and compared to those in 10 healthy children of corresponding ages. The viscosity values followed the same patterns as those for the sodium and calcium ion concentrations and were higher in the cystic fibrosis group. The electrolyte concentrations in the basal and different post-stimulation fractions of the gastric juice were higher in the cystic fibrosis group. Significant differences between both groups could only be found in the electrolyte concentrations. The total secretion of each of the electrolytes was the same in both groups because along with the increased electrolyte concentration in the cystic fibrosis group there was a reduced volume of gastric juice. The dependence of viscosity on the individual electrolyte concentration is discussed. The differences in the viscosity and the electrolyte concentrations in gastric juice from the cystic fibrosis children seems to be due to changes in the process of gastric secretion and not due to the influence of swallowed saliva.

No abstract

Measurement of tryptic and chymotryptic activity in the faeces was not disturbed by bacterial proteolytic activity of different bacteria such as proteus, pseudomonas, coli, enterococci, bacteroides. Both activities within a group follow a logarithmic normal distribution. Lower limit of the standard deviation is 51% upper limit 129% for tryptic activity, respectively 60 and 170% for chymotryptic activity. There were no differences in chymotryptic activity between the 10 age groups comprising 157 healthy children, whereas a significant difference could be found for tryptic activity between premature and older children. Daily fluctuations of the enzyme activities are quite high in the same individual, and only reduced in "bottlefed" infants with constant nutrition. In prematures and very young infants chymotryptic activity predominates, later tryptic activity. Influence of increased and decreased bowel movements on deviation of the data was tested. There was, however, no real alteration of enzyme activity due to the bowel dysfunction beyond the standard deviation of the control groups. But passage time and nutrition have to be considered beside other factors in the wide distribution of the enzyme activities and the latter limits the value of this method.