Exocrine pancreatic function was determined by
oral administration of
N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (peptic-
PABA-test) in 120 controls, 74 patients with
chronic pancreatitis, 35 patients with
acute pancreatitis 2--6 weeks after recovery, 201 patients with a variety of gastro-
intestinal diseases and in 10 patients with
anorexia nervosa. In the control group, 70% +/- 18% of the oral administered dose of
PABA was found within 6 hours in the urine. In contrast the group of chronic pancreatic patients excreted only 40% +/- 13% over the same period. "False negative"
PABA excretion was found in 11 (9%) of the 120 persons with no pancreas disease. "False positive"
PABA excretion was found in 13 (17,5%) of the 74 patients with
chronic pancreatitis. The test was not influenced by age or sex. After stomach resection or
cholecystectomy and in patients with ulcus duodeni,
chronic hepatitis, functional
diarrhea,
Crohn's disease,
colitis ulcerosa and
acute pancreatitis 2--6 weeks after recovery the
peptide-
PABA-test was not distored. Diminished
PABA excretion was encountered in some patients with toxic
liver disease, inflammatory disease of the small intensine like M. Whipple,
celiac disease and unspecific
enteritis and in a few patients with
cholelithiasis. Low
PABA excretion was found in early all patients with partial small intestinal resection, terminal
liver cirrhosis or liver
metastasis with
ascites and in all patients with
anorexia nervosa.