[Fecal chymotrypsin and steatorrhea in chronic pancreatitis]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate in 56 patients (48 M, 8 F) with chronic pancreatitis: a) the diagnostic validity of fecal chymotrypsin (FCT) assay, performed both on random samples and from previously homogenized samples collected over 3 days; b) the correlation between chymotrypsin and fecal fat excretion. CTF was measured using Kaspar's colorimetric method and fecal fats using the Van de Kamer method. Mean values of chymotrypsin measured on random samples were very similar to those measured on previously homogenized feces, 17.9 +/- 16.7 U/g vs 17.1 +/- 15.3 U/g respectively. There was a highly significant correlation between these values (r = 0.77 p less than 0.0003) and a highly significant inverse correlation between fecal fat and chymotrypsin excretion, both when the latter was measured on random and on previously homogenized samples (p less than 0.0001). FCT assay was fairly good sensitive (54%) for the whole group of patients with chronic pancreatitis, but very good (91%) for the group of patients with steatorrhea. The results show that the fecal chymotrypsin assay on random fecal samples is as valid as that carried out on homogenized feces and that there is a good correlation between fecal chymotrypsin values and steatorrhea of pancreatic origin.