[Determination of chymotrypsin in the feces by a new photometric method]

Fecal chymotrypsin (FCT) was determined in stool specimens of healthy children and those with gastro-intestinal disease, by a new photometric method. The values are comparable with chymotrypsin concentrations found by pH-stat method. The new test is cheap, reliable and easy to perform. For this reasons and for the sensitivity of all tubeless pancreatic function tests (NBT-PABA, FDL, FCT) is rather low (60-70%), the FCT-test may be preferred as diagnostic marker for differential diagnosis of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.