Effects of protease inhibitor pretreatment on hemodynamic performances and survival rate in experimental, acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis was induced in pigs by manual retrograde injection of Na-Taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Using chromogenic peptide substrate assays, increased plasma kallikrein activity (KK), paralleled by a reduction in functional plasma kallikrein inhibition values (KKI) were found in the peritoneal exudate in untreated animals. Several of the untreated animals experienced an increased trypsin activity (TRY) in the same exudate. Five out of eight animals died during a 6 hour observation period. Pretreatment with either Cl-INH or aprotinin given intravenously, resulted in a significantly increase in KKI capacity paralleled by unchanged KK and TRY activities in the peritoneal exudate. Furthermore, inhibitor pretreatment significantly improved hemodynamic performances (AP and CO) and the survival rate. The study underlines the pathophysiological importance of trypsin and the plasma kallikrein-kinin system during acute, severe pancreatitis.