[Exocrine pancreas function - does it change with age? (author's transl)]

We compared the excretory pancreatic function of a healthy young population (n = 18, mean age 31.8 years) with that of a healthy older people (n = 18, mean age 58.7 years) using a modified secretin-pancreozymin test which comprised short infusion of secretin, injection of pancreozymin, and repetition of this procedure immediately after the end of the collection period following the first stimulation. Secretion rate and bicarbonate following secretin, lipase, amylase and secretin rate following pancreozymin were significantly lower in the old than in the young after first and second stimulation. Trypsin was lower in the old than in the young following repeat stimulation. Trypsin was the only substance which was produced in smaller quantities after the second stimulation than after the first, i.e. pancreatic fatigue was demonstrable in the older age group.