Exocrine pancreatic function test by endoscopic retrograde aspiration of pure pancreatic juice

The validity of endoscopic retrograde aspiration of pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) as an exocrine pancreatic function test was evaluated in terms of coefficients of variation in control subjects, reproducibility on repeated examinations, and sensitivity for detecting patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). PPJ was obtained from, nine control subjects, four patients with suspected CP and 13 with CP. PPJ was collected from within the pancreatic duct by endoscopic retrograde catheterization of the papilla at 2-min intervals for 20 minutes after a bolus intravenous injection of secretin (1U/kg) and then for further 20 minutes after a bolus intravenous injection of CCK-PZ (1U/kg). It was recognized that endoscopic aspiration of PPJ was at least as useful and reliable as the traditional pancreozymin secretin test. Useful parameters included 10-min secretory volume and 10-min bicarbonate output after secretin stimulation, and 10-min enzyme output after CCK-PZ stimulation (lipase output showed higher sensitivity than amylase output). Maximal bicarbonate concentration showed poorer reproducibility and sensitivity despite better coefficients of variation. Lower limits in controls (mean-1.5SD) were 22.5ml for 10-min secretory volume, 2.7mEq for 10-min bicarbonate output, 24.5 x 10(3)U for 10-min amylase output and 3.4 x 10(3)IU for 10-min lipase output.