An open crossover study in patients with documented
cystic fibrosis (CF) compared the efficacy and acceptability of
Pancrease (Cilag, PC), consisting of pH-sensitive, enteric-coated
microspheres, with those of
Eurobiol, consisting of lyophilized total pancreas. Eleven patients, age 6-17 years, were hospitalized for study. A hypercaloric, normal fat diet as well as previous
antibiotic,
vitamin, and other CF
therapy were maintained during the 2-week study period. During the first study week, eight patients were given four divided doses of either
Pancrease, 8 capsules daily, and two patients were given
Eurobiol, 2 bottles daily. One patient received six
Pancrease capsules or 1.5 bottles of
Eurobiol daily. Patients were switched to the alternate
drug for the second study week. Stools were collected for analysis over the final 3 days of each week.
Steatorrhea (mean +/- 1 SD) with
Pancrease was 11.8 +/- 6.6 g/24 h and with
Eurobiol was 17.9 +/- 11.7 g/24 h. The coefficient of
lipid absorption was 74.1 +/- 13.3% for
Pancrease and 58.6 +/- 22.5% for
Eurobiol (p less than 0.02). The decrease in
steatorrhea and increase in
lipid absorption with
Pancrease compared to
Eurobiol were 33.9% and 26.5%, respectively. All patients considered the acceptability of
Pancrease superior to that of
Eurobiol. No adverse effects were seen with either
drug.