title: Steroid administration and acute pancreatitis: studies with an isolated, perfused canine pancreas.
abstract: Steroid administration has been suspected of causing acute pancreatitis for over 20 years. Clinical and experimental data, however, have failed to firmly establish the association or to uncover a pathogenic mechanism. Utilizing an isolated, ex vivo, perfused, canine pancreas preparation, the acute effects of large doses of steroids on the pancreas were evaluated. Using a dose of 200 mg of methylprednisolone, there were no significant differences between the control and steroid-treated preparations in terms of gross appearance, weight gain, serum amylase, or pancreatic secretion over a 4 hour perfusion period. When the dose of methylpredisolone was increased to 400 mg, again there were no significant differences in gross appearance, weight gain, or serum amylase during a 3 hour perfusion period. However, pancreatic secretion was initially depressed in the steroid-treated preparations. Following a maximal secretory stimulus (secretin), secretion markedly increased during the fourth hour of perfusion, but again was significantly less in the steroid-treated glands. Viscosity of pancreatic secretions was significantly increased in the steroid-treated glands. These studies suggest that steroids have a mild inhibitory effect on pancreatic secretion, which might be mediated through an increase in viscosity.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D006400:Hematocrit; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D010477:Perfusion; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000681:Amylases; D008775:Methylprednisolone