A new faecal chymotrypsin method for evaluating the exocrine pancreatic function in patients with different pancreatic diseases.

Using a new colorimetric method we measured the faecal chymotrypsin in 407 subjects, divided as follows: 252 adult subjects with a normal exocrine pancreatic function as shown by duodenal intubation, 24 adult patients with a mild to moderate pancreatic insufficiency, and 26 adult patients with severe pancreatic insufficiency. In addition, 40 healthy children, 50 children with chronic diarrhoea, and 15 with cystic fibrosis were studied before and after substituting enzyme therapy. Faecal chymotrypsin was found to be useful in evaluating the degree of exocrine functional insufficiency in subjects with diseases of the pancreas that had already been clinically ascertained. The same cannot be said for its ability to provide an early diagnosis of subjects with a slight-moderate insufficiency in exocrine pancreatic function.