Serum trypsin, alpha-amylase and lipase during bombesin stimulation in normal subjects and patients with pancreatic insufficiency.

The effect of infusion of bombesin (60 pmol/kg 20 min) on pancreatic enzymes in serum was studied in 13 normal subjects and 12 patients with pancreatic insufficiency. In normal subjects administration of bombesin induced large increases in serum trypsin (p less than 0.01), while serum total alpha-amylase and pancreatic alpha-amylase did not change and serum lipase showed only a modest rise (0.01 less than p less than 0.05). Patients with pancreatic insufficiency had significantly lower serum concentrations of all enzymes studied (p less than 0.01) and in such patients bombesin did not change the concentrations of pancreatic enzymes in serum. It is concluded that determination of the serum trypsin response to bombesin may be of help in the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency.