Limits of the evocative pancreatic function test in the diagnosis of low-grade pancreatitis.

At a certain level of stimulation of the enzymatic secretions of the pancreas utilizing duodenal hormones and caerulein in normal subjects, the hourly urinary amylase output increases beyond normal values. Under these conditions, the so-called evocative pancreatic function test becomes unusable for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis in the early stages.