Diagnostic tests of exocrine pancreatic function and disease

Comparison of the oral (PABA) pancreatic function test, the secretin-pancreozymin test and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography in chronic alcohol induced pancreatitis.

“…Assuming normal small bowel and hepatic function the percentage recovery of PABA in the urine is proportional to chymotrypsin activity in the upper small bowel, although this is influenced by intraluminal pH.8 This test has been shown to correlate with both the Lundh test, 4 5 the secretinpancreozymin test9 '°and also with faecal chymotrypsin activity1' and faecal fat excretion.12 More recently attempts to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the test have been reported. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Despite this correlation with standard tests of pancreatic exocrine function, there have been no studies to determine the degree with which the PABA test correlates with pancreatic morphology and, therefore, its usefulness as a means of excluding or confirming a clinical diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis associated with structural damage. We have therefore prospectively compared the PABA test with endoscopic retrograde pancreatography and the secretin-pancreozymin test in patients with chronic alcohol induced pancreatitis.…”

Evaluation of the Diagnosis Pancreatitis

“…Most reports d o not indicate when the examinations have been done or should be done in relation to an attack of pancreatitis. Nor do they specify the degree of functional or morphological defects which warrants the diagnosis chronic pancreatitis (19,(21)(22)(23).…”

A comparison of the effect of elemental and immune‐enhancing polymeric jejunal feeding on exocrine pancreatic function

“…12 This test was performed to ensure adequate pancreatic reserve after the pancreatectomy. A bolus of 1 U/kg of secretin (Ferring North York, Ontario) was infused over 5 minutes.…”