Endoscopic measurement of pancreatic juice secretory flow rates and pancreatic secretory pressures after secretin administration in human controls and in patients with acute relapsing pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.

Secretory flow rates were measured inside the main pancreatic duct during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with acute relapsing pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer and in controls after intravenous administration of secretin. Peak secretory flow rates in these groups were 5.04 +/- 1.74, 0.71 +/-1.28, 0.60 +/- 1.37, and 4.13 +/- 0.88 ml/min, respectively. Peak secretory pressures were also measured intraductally in patients with acute relapsing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer and in controls and were 402 +/- 69, 75 +/- 161, and 403 +/- 99 mm pancreatic juice, respectively. Peak secretory flow rates and pressures measured in controls during constant administration of secretin were similar to those measured when secretin was administered as a bolus.