Summary
A total of 47 subjects were given continuous intravenous infusion of secretin and an injection of pancreozymin. The results obtained from 20 control subjects showed that the secretin used in our study produced maximal alkaline secretion (711±166 µEq./min.) at a dose of 3 U./kg./hr. At this dose and up to 5 U./kg./hr., the infusion was perfectly tolerated by all the subjects.
Compared with injection, the continuous-infusion method was not advantageous in measuring maximum bicarbonate concentration and lipase activity. By contrast, measurement of outputs showed great promise. Among the 4 parameters—volume, bicarbonate output, and maximum and mean lipase outputs—after pancreozymin, bicarbonate output seemed to be the most useful. Its measurement requires no more time than the standard secretin test, and this time could probably be reduced to 60 min. in most cases. Lipasic output is more variable, but undoubtedly will be of greater interest when it becomes possible to use higher doses of pancreozymin.
The disadvantage of the continuous-infusion method lies in its great sensitivity—at present, it may be difficult to interpret the results in patients with nonpancreatic organic digestive diseases. Thus, more tests are needed to establish the statistical limits for the results in various types of disease.
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Pascal, J.P., Sannou, N. & Ribet, A. Exploration of pancreatic exocrine function by continuous infusion of secretin. Digest Dis Sci 13, 213–221 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236596
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236596