[Screening of exocrine pancreatic function (author's transl)]

The validity of oral pancreatic function tests (fluoresceine dilaurate-[FDL-], N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-para-amino-benzoic-acid-[PABA-]test) was assessed intra-individually in 67 patients in comparison with the secretin-pancreozymin test corrected for volume loss. Faecal chymotrypsin (CH-F) estimation was included in the comparison. According to the result of the secretin-pancreozymin test, patients were divided into those with normal pancreatic function (n = 28), those with borderline restricted function (n = 18), and those with manifest exocrine insufficiency (n = 21). Results show that in borderline decreased pancreatic function the diagnostic value of all screening tests is limited. The sensitivity (true pathological results) was 38% in the FDL-test, 40% in the PABA-test, and 31% in CH-F. In manifest exocrine pancreatic insufficiency FDL- and PABA-test as well as CH-F showed similar sensitivity of 67, 63, and 62%, respectively. Results show that oral pancreatic function tests, particularly the simple FDL-test, represent a diagnostic alternative to the relatively complicated CH-F assessment. However, none of the tests are able to replace the secretin-pancreozymin test as the most valid diagnostic investigation.