Premium
Pancreatic Function Tests: Comparison of Standard and Augmented Secretin
Author(s) -
Hansky J.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1971.tb02275.x
Subject(s) - secretin , bicarbonate , pancreatitis , medicine , liter , pancreatic disease , pancreas , gastroenterology , endocrinology
Summary The results of standard and augmented secretin tests have been compared in the diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine disease. Eighty‐six patients had a standard secretin test utilising 1 unit per kg body weight secretin. Mean peak bicarbonate concentration was 104 mEq/ litre in 43 normal subjects compared with 64 mEq/litre in 30 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Of these 30 patients, seven had normal peak bicarbonate concentration giving a diagnostic error of 23%. Assessment of other parameters of pancreatic secretion, namely total bicarbonate output and fluid output, did not improve this figure. Ninety‐six patients had an augmented secretin test of 2–3 units per kg body weight. Mean peak bicarbonate concentration in normals was 97 mEq/litre compared with 51 mEq/ litre in 36 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Of the latter group, four had peak bicarbonate concentration in the normal range (11% diagnostic error) but only two had total bicarbonate output in the normal range (5–6%diagnostic error). However, in six patients who were subsequently shown to have a normal pancreas, four had abnormal peak bicarbonate concentration and five an abnormal bicarbonate output. These results indicate that augmented secretin correctly diagnoses chronic pancreatitis more frequently than a standard test but at the expense of incorrectly indicating chronic pancreatitis when this is not present.