A simplified gelatin tolerance test to evaluate gastric and pancreatic proteolytic activities.

To evaluate gastric, pancreatic and intestinal proteolytic activities, a gelatin tolerance test was standardized, and its clinical significance was evaluated in 16 normal subjects and 25 patients who had undergone gastrectomy or had a pancreatic disease. A 15g gelatin dose given to normal subjects resulted in an increase of serum-free and peptide-bound hydroxyproline (HYP), with the peak values being observed at 1 hr and 2 hr, respectively. In patients who had malabsorption, both peak levels of serum-free and peptide-bound HYP were decreased, and the peak value of free HYP was more frequently lower than that of peptide-bound HYP. The determination of serum free HYP after oral administration og gelatin was significantly correlated with BT-PABA test. These results indicate that usefulness of determining serum-free HYP for the gelatin tolerance test as a simple reliable test for digestion and absorption of proteins.