Exocrine pancreatic enzyme and calcium secretion in health and pancreatitis.

Calcium, enzyme, and total protein secretion were measured in secretin stimulated pancreatic juice in health, "early" chronic pancreatitis, and in chronic calcific pancreatitis. Increased concentrations of trypsin, total protein, and calcium, and increased outputs of calcium and protein were shown to be present in the "early" stages of the disease, indicating that an environment conducive to the formation of protein plugs and possibly later calcification already exists.