COMPARATIVE-EVALUATION OF THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF A PH-SENSITIVE ENTERIC COATED PANCREATIC-ENZYME PREPARATION WITH CONVENTIONAL PANCREATIC-ENZYME THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF EXOCRINE PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY

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  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 84  (3) , 476-482
Abstract
The therapeutic efficacy of a pH-sensitive enteric coated pancreatic enzyme preparation was conpared with conventional pancreatic enzyme preparations in 6 adult patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Fecal fat excretion and postprandial duodenal recovery of orally ingested pancreatic enzymes were evaluated after ingestion of each preparation. Fecal fat excretion decreased significantly (P < 0.005) on treatment with pH-sensitive and conventional pancreatic enzyme preparations. Postprandial concentration and delivery of trypsin, and lipase in samples aspirated from duodenojejunal junction were higher after ingestion of conventional pancreatic enzyme preparation as compared to the pH-sensitive enteric coated preparation. The difference, however, did not reach statistical significance. The pH-sensitive enteric coated pancreatic enzyme preparation is probably only as effective as conventional pancreatic enzyme preparations in controlling fat malabsorption in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Failure of pH-sensitive enteric coated preparation to deliver greater quantities of pancreatic enzymes at duodenojejunal junction is most likely related to the impaired release of enzymes from microspheres due to low intraluminal pH in the upper small intestine in pancreatic insufficiency.