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A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
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Fecal pancreatic elastase in infants under 2 years of age

N A Benahmed1, D Manene, L Barbot

  • 1Laboratoire de coprologie fonctionnelle, APHP, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris.

Annales De Biologie Clinique
|October 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Fecal elastase testing in infants can miss pancreatic insufficiency. A single test may not be enough, and follow-up measurements are crucial for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Gastroenterology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Fecal pancreatic elastase is routinely used to detect pancreatic insufficiency in infants, particularly those with cystic fibrosis or poor growth.
  • Limited data exist on the reliability of a single fecal elastase measurement in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic value of serial fecal elastase measurements in infants over the first two years of life.
  • To determine if a single fecal elastase test adequately assesses pancreatic status in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of fecal elastase measurements in 236 infants.
  • Follow-up of elastase levels during the first two years of life.

Main Results:

  • Initially normal elastase (>200 microg/g) was observed in 51.7% of infants; 14.8% of these later showed insufficiency.
  • Initially low elastase (<200 microg/g) normalized in 45.6% of infants.

Conclusions:

  • Serial fecal elastase measurements are important for accurate diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency in infants.
  • A single fecal elastase measurement may not exclude pancreatic insufficiency, necessitating further testing.
Abstract

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