title: A 51-week, open-label clinical trial in India to assess the efficacy and safety of pancreatin 40000 enteric-coated minimicrospheres in patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency due to chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of pancreatin (pancrelipase) enteric-coated minimicrospheres (MMS) over a one-year period in patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) due to chronic pancreatitis (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 51-week, open-label extension (OLE) of a one-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in India that enrolled patients ≥18 years of age with confirmed PEI due to CP. Patients received pancreatin (Creon(®) 40000 MMS™) at a dose of 80,000 Ph. Eur. lipase units with each of three main meals/day and 40,000 with each of up to three snacks/day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 61 patients entering the OLE, 48 completed treatment (nine were lost to follow up, two withdrew consent, one discontinued due to adverse event [acute exacerbation of CP], one protocol violation). There were significant improvements from baseline to end of OLE in mean ± SD coefficient of fat absorption (CFA: 22.7 ± 12.2%), coefficient of nitrogen absorption (CNA: 6.5 ± 7.9%), body weight (4.9 ± 4.9 kg), BMI (1.9 ± 1.9 kg/m(2)), and most nutritional laboratory parameters tested (p ≤ 0.001). Mean daily stool frequency was reduced from 2.8 to 1.6 (p < 0.001). Improvements in clinical symptoms, clinical global impression of disease symptoms, and quality of life were also observed. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were observed in 64% of patients overall. Only 13% of patients experienced TEAEs judged treatment related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with PEI due to CP, treatment with pancreatin for one year was associated with significant improvements in fat absorption, nitrogen absorption, and nutritional parameters, improvements in clinical symptoms, and a favorable safety and tolerability profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, Lakeshore Hospital & Research Centre, NH 47 Bypass, Maradu, Nettoor P.O., Kochi 682040, Kerala, India. hrameshoffice@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hariharan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: Nageshwar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Shobna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rajkumar
authors.forename: Amol
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bapaye
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kini
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalla
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thorat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D008875:Middle Aged; D010194:Pancreatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010194:Pancreatin