Faecal chymotrypsin assay in tropical and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis

Faecal chymotrypsin (FCT) levels were estimated in a group of patients with tropical chronic pancreatitis (TCP) and compared with patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP), 'gastrointestinal' controls and 'healthy' subjects. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as assessed by low faecal chymotrypsin levels (less than 5.8 mu/g) were present in 85.7 per cent of TPC and 84.6 per cent of ACP patients. Mean FCT levels as well as the distribution of FCT values were similar in TCP and ACP patients and significantly lower than the two control groups (P less than 0.001). There was also no difference with respect to mean FCT levels between subgroups of TCP patients with and without diabetes and those with and without calcification. Faecal chymotrypsin assay is a simple test for diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis in gastroenterological centres in tropical countries.