RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR DETECTION OF LATENT CHRONIC-ALCOHOLIC PANCREATITIS, AN UNRECOGNIZED CLINICAL SYNDROME

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 26  (2) , 214-218
Abstract
A radioimmunoassay procedure was developed in which an antibody monospecific for pancreatic acinar antigen was used to sensitively and specifically test for the presence of subclinical (latent) alcoholic pancreatitis. The antigen was isolated, purified and partially characterized. Results of testing appropriate populations of patients support the idea that chronic alcoholism is associated with chronic, subclinical damage to the pancreas and concomitant continuous release of a pancreatic acinar protein into the peripheral circulation, where it can be detected and quantitated. About 40% of the samples from chronic alcoholics (whether during a bout of acute alcoholism or during abstinence) demonstrated the circulating antigen, strongly suggesting that those alcoholics who will develop symptomatic, chronic alcoholic pancreatitis can be readily detected during the nonsymptomatic stage.

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