title: Diagnostic value of the fecal chymotrypsin test in pancreatic insufficiency, particularly chronic pancreatitis: correlation with the pancreozymin-secretin test, fecal fat excretion and final clinical diagnosis.
abstract: The diagnostic value of the fecal chymotrypsin test (FCT) was reevaluated with regard to (a) proved pancreatic hypofunction of different severity (183 pancreozymin-secretin tests); (b) the final clinical diagnosis, and (c) fecal fat excretion (208 patients with chronic pancreatitis; CP). Progressive pancreatic disease (cancer, CP) was mainly associated with moderate or severe pancreatic hypofunction (119/138; 86.2%) and a low incidence of false-normal FCT values (14/138; 10.1%). Miscellaneous disorders (mainly reversible pancreatic hypofunction) were mainly associated with slight pancreatic hypofunction and a high incidence of false-normal FCT values (17/45; 37.8%). Pancreatic steatorrhea (greater than 10 g/day) was found only in patients with markedly depressed FCT values. Progressive deterioration of pancreatic function was demonstrated by repeated FCT in CP (n = 220).
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002918:Chymotrypsin / Q000032:analysis*; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D010186:Pancreatic Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012633:Secretin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D012633:Secretin; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D002918:Chymotrypsin