Monitoring changes in plasma levels of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes in a model of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency--induced by pancreatic duct-ligation--in young pigs.

PURPOSE

Plasma levels of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes were measured after pancreatic duct ligation (PDL) to monitor pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) in a model using young pigs.

MATERIAL/METHODS: Five, 6 week-old pigs (10.9±0.2kg), underwent PDL while age-matched, un-operated pigs were used as controls. Plasma levels of immunoreactive cationic trypsinogen (IRCT), amylase, lipase, and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities were analyzed for 48 days after PDL, including 1 week of oral pancreatic enzyme supplementation (PES) with Creon(®).

RESULTS

PDL resulted in an arrested body growth and a rapid surge of pancreatic enzymes (IRCT, amylase and lipase) into the plasma. Nine days after PDL, the plasma levels of these pancreatic enzymes had decreased. IRCT then remained below the level in un-operated pigs while amylase only fell below control at 25 days. The intestinally derived marker DAO and plasma protein levels were unaffected by PDL but DAO decreased slightly with time in PEI pigs. One-week of oral PES restored body growth, but had little effect on pancreatic enzyme plasma levels, except for a tendency towards increased DAO.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed that PEI developed within 1-2 weeks after PDL and that only IRCT is a reliable plasma enzyme marker for this. The reduced plasma DAO indicated that PEI also affected the intestines, while PES therapy restored growth of the PDL pigs and slightly increased plasma DAO, suggesting an improved intestinal function.