Fecal alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance in the differential diagnosis of steatorrhea.

We reviewed the fecal fat excretion and alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance results of 160 patients with steatorrhea in whom a final diagnosis was obtained, based on history, physical examination, and radiological, functional and morphological tests. Twenty-two patients had pancreatic diseases and 138 had steatorrhea due to gastrointestinal diseases. alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance was invariably normal in chronic pancreatitis, but there was only a 23 to 50% of correct etiological classification when the combination of steatorrhea and normal alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance was present. However, none of our patients diagnosed of chronic pancreatitis had abnormal alpha 1-antitrypsin clearance. The combination of steatorrhea and normal clearance of alpha 1-antitrypsin was a modest clue for diagnosis of pancreatic malabsorption.