title: Effect of ethanol on pancreatic interstitial pH and blood flow in cats with chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol on pancreatic blood flow and interstitial pH in chronic pancreatitis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Ethanol is known to contribute to the development of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. However, it is unclear how ethanol precipitates episodes of acute pancreatic inflammation in the setting of chronic pancreatitis. In a model of chronic pancreatitis in cats, it is known that pancreatic blood flow is abnormally low and decreases further after ethanol ingestion. Because it is possible that this reduction in blood flow might be damaging to the pancreas, we investigated the effects of ethanol on pancreatic interstitial pH, an index of pancreatic ischemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In normal cats and cats with obstructive chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic blood flow and interstitial pH were measured using the hydrogen gas clearance technique and pH microelectrode, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal cats, intragastric, but not intravenous, ethanol reduced both pancreatic blood flow by 62% (p < 0.05) and interstitial pH (7.38 +/- 0.03 to 7.20 +/- 0.03, p < 0.05). In cats with chronic pancreatitis in which basal pancreatic blood flow was already only 60% of normal flow, both intragastric and intravenous ethanol decreased both pancreatic blood flow (intragastric, 40% decrease, p < 0.05; intravenous, 34% decrease, p < 0.05) and interstitial pH (intragastric, 7.24 +/- 0.04 to 7.08 +/- 0.04, p < 0.05; intravenous 7.20 +/- 0.08 to 7.07 +/- 0.07, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This profound decrease in pH, lasting up to 2 hours after ethanol exposure in the chronic pancreatitis animals, suggests the possibility of ischemic cellular damage to the pancreas. These findings may explain the pathogenesis of bouts of acute pancreatic inflammation after ethanol ingestion in the setting of chronic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sepulveda VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Reber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol