Use of caerulein with submaximal doses of secretin as a test of pancreatic function in man.

The pancreatic exocrine secretory response to different combinations of the pancreozymin-like peptide caerulein and secretin was studied in 110 healthy control subjects and 32 patients with pancreatic disease. A combination of 0-5 CU/kg-h secretin and 75 ng/kg-h caerulein provided maximal or near-maximal stimulation of the secretion of both bicarbonate and pancreatic enzymes. The combination of stimulant peptides in the above doses was found to give excellent separation between the secretion of bicarbonate, lipase, and chymotrypsin of the control group and patients with chronic pancreatitis. A combination of caerulein and secretin represents a safe, reliable, and effective mean of stimulating pancreatic exocrine secretion for the purpose of testing pancreatic function.