Clinical effectiveness of a pancreatic enzyme supplement.

In 23 adult patients with pancreatic insufficiency, we evaluated the efficacy of a pancreatic enzyme delivered as pH-sensitive enteric-coated pancreatic lipase microspheres, and compared it with placebo and other available enzyme supplements. In a short-term study, fecal fat was 23.5 +/- 7 g/day with the microspheres, compared with 29.9 +/- 8 with other supplements, providing fat utilization of 76 +/- 7% versus 63 +/- 10% (p less than 0.05). Microspheres reduced daily stool frequency to 1.9 movements from 4.3 on other enzymes (p less than 0.01). These results were obtained with an average intake of 10 microsphere capsules/day. In a year-long study of 22 patients, an average weight gain of 4.0 +/- 1.1 kg was observed associated with return of near-normal social and work life-style in previously housebound patients.