The PFD test for pancreatic disease patients.

The PFD test was performed on various pancreatic disease patients. The urinary PABA excretion rate was significantly lower in chronic pancreatitis patients and in pancreatic carcinoma patients than in the controls, but no difference was observed between PABA excretion in the two diseases. After surgery, PABA excretion values of pancreatic carcinoma patients were significantly lower than those of non-pancreatitis non-pancreatic carcinoma patients. This was thought to be caused by the difference in residual anastomosed pancreatic tissues. Mild to severe pancreatitis, fibrosis and/or fat necrosis were seen in the pancreatic tissues of carcinoma patients, but these changes were minimal in non-pancreatitis non-pancreatic carcinoma patients. The PFD test is useful in detecting decreases in pancreatic exocrine functions or measuring the grade of pancreatic disorders in various pancreatic diseases, although it can not be used to differentiate pancreatic diseases.