Effect of liquid pancreatic enzymes on the assimilation of fat in different liquid formula diets.
BACKGROUND
In some diseases, patients require high-calorie tube feeding with standard enteral formulas usually administered via temporal feeding tubes. One frequent pathophysiological condition in a relevant number of these patients is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Patients unable to swallow capsules might benefit from a liquid pancreatic enzyme (LPE) preparation.


METHODS
LPEs were prepared and mixed with different commercially available formula diets produced for enteral feeding. Lipolysis was then measured by fatty acid titration.


RESULTS
Complete lipolysis by liquid enzyme preparations was observed in diverse formula diets. Fat assimilation was even complete when LPE had been prepared 3.5 hours before the experiments, showing that the enzymes had been stable up to that time.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of LPEs seems to be a good therapeutic option in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and the need for permanent high-calorie enteral feeding. Pharmaceutical companies should therefore be further encouraged to develop and distribute liquid enzyme preparations.
Hauenschild
Annette
A
Third Medical Department, University Hospital Giessen und Marburg, Giessen, Germany.
Ewald
Nils
N
Klauke
Thorsten
T
Liebchen
Ariane
A
Bretzel
Reinhard Georg
RG
Kloer
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Hardt
Philip Daniel
PD
D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006801:Humans; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010184:Pancreatic Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010194:Pancreatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020799:Pancrelipase / Q000008:administration & dosage
D010184:Pancreatic Extracts; D020799:Pancrelipase; D010194:Pancreatin