On the appearance, levels and regulation of pancreatic enzyme serum concentrations.

The evaluation of serum pancreatic enzyme activity on whole and diluted serum permits the estimation of serum enzyme inhibitor activity via a ADS/AWS ratio. This has diagnostic value in chronic pancreatic disease. The serum pancreatic ferment activity appears to be regulated in part by serum steroid levels. It is responsive to high protein diet. A physiologic rationale is presented for the use of steroids and high protein diet in the treatment of acute and chronic pancreatic inflammation.

Hepatic lesions in pancreatitis. Clinicoexperimental data.

Patients with active liver cirrhosis display greater abnormality in pancreatic function tests, viz. steatorrhea, hyperamylasemia, than patients with inactive cirrhosis. In autopsy specimens taken from patients dying from cirrhosis, parallel morphologic changes were noted in the liver and pancreas, viz. in postnecrotic cirrhosis, necrosis and necrobiosis predominated in the pancreas. In patients with portal cirrhosis, sclerotic changes rather than necrobiosis was observed in the pancreas. On the other hand, experimental acute and chronic pancreatitis induced in dogs displayed hepatic lesions whose degree and extent were correlated with the duration of the pancreatic inflammation.