[Therapy of acute pancreatitis with a synthetic protease and phospholipase A2 inhibitor gabexate mesilate].

In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gabexate mesilate (FOY = [ethyl-4-(6-guanidinohexanoyloxy) benzoate methane sulfonate]), a synthetic inhibitor of various proteases as well as phospholipase A 2, 17 patients with acute pancreatitis were treated with FOY in doses of 3 X 150 mg/day per i.v. perfusor. The clinical course of the disease and the laboratory findings were compared with the results of a control group of 21 patients also suffering from acute pancreatitis. 30% of the patients in the FOY-group and 40% in the control group had different complications during the first week after admission to the hospital. The laboratory findings in the two groups revealed that alpha-amylase levels in serum and urine in the FOY-group were significantly lower than in the control group. Side effects of the drug were not observed. FOY may be considered a promising drug for treatment of acute pancreatitis in view of its few side effects and especially with regard to its mode of action.