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Pancreatic exocrine function in systemic sclerosis
Author(s) -
COBDEN I.,
AXON A.T.R.,
ROWELL N.R.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1981.tb01204.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gastroenterology , malabsorption , exocrine pancreatic insufficiency , bacterial overgrowth , pancreatic function , primary biliary cirrhosis , pancreatitis
SUMMARY Lundh tests of pancreatic exocrine function were performed on twenty unselected patients with systemic sclerosis. Three patiems had very low levels of tryptic activity in their ititestinal juice and only nine had results which were unequivocally normal. Eight patients had biochemical steatorrhoea, but in six this was associated with intestinal bacterial overgrowth and a seventh had primary biliary cirrhosis. The remaining patient had no cause for steatorrhoea other than the marked pancreatic insufficiency which had been demonstrated. Although pancreatic damage may contribute to malabsorption in systemic sclerosis, it appears to be less important than other factors such as intestinal bacterial overgrowth.