Background. Cystic fibrosis, a common genetic disease involving several epithelial cells including exocrine ductular pancreatic cells, is accompanied by different degrees of exocrine pancreatic function insufficiency, which is corrected by oral enzyme supplementation therapy. The correction of the pancreatic insufficiency requires a quantitative method for the assessment of the digestive function. This is usually obtained by the evaluation of the amount of fecal fat excretion, which is inversely related to the efficiency of triglyceride cleavage by pancreatic Lipase. A simple and rapid spectroscopic method for the determination of fecal fats based on Near-Infrared Reflectance Analysis (NIRA) has been developed. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the NIRA method can efficiently replace the more cumbersome chemical method which is utilized as a reference method. Methods. Fits were assayed by both spectroscopic (NIRA) and chemical (Van de Kamer) methods in the feces of 594 cystic fibrosis patients with different degrees of pancreatic insufficiency, in order to determine the Daily Fat Excretion (DFE). In a second group of 148 cystic fibrosis patients the dietary intake of fats was controlled over a period of 72 hrs in order to calculate the Coefficient of Fat Absorption (CFA). The results obtained by the two methods were compared by a statistical evaluation which graphically describes the probability of deviation of one method from the other. Results. The determination of fecal fats by NIRA gives quite a broad dispersion of the data, and the agreement with the chemical method both in terms of DFE and CFA is limited. Conclusions. The evaluation of fecal fats by NIRA is simple and rapid. Due to the limitations presented by these data, the method could be suggested as a preliminary test for the assessment of the digestive function in cystic fibrosis patiens, but does not seem useful for a more accurate quantitative evaluation of the function.
Near-infrared reflectance analysis for the evaluation of the exocrine pancreatic function
CABRINI, GIULIO;
1995-01-01
Abstract
Background. Cystic fibrosis, a common genetic disease involving several epithelial cells including exocrine ductular pancreatic cells, is accompanied by different degrees of exocrine pancreatic function insufficiency, which is corrected by oral enzyme supplementation therapy. The correction of the pancreatic insufficiency requires a quantitative method for the assessment of the digestive function. This is usually obtained by the evaluation of the amount of fecal fat excretion, which is inversely related to the efficiency of triglyceride cleavage by pancreatic Lipase. A simple and rapid spectroscopic method for the determination of fecal fats based on Near-Infrared Reflectance Analysis (NIRA) has been developed. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the NIRA method can efficiently replace the more cumbersome chemical method which is utilized as a reference method. Methods. Fits were assayed by both spectroscopic (NIRA) and chemical (Van de Kamer) methods in the feces of 594 cystic fibrosis patients with different degrees of pancreatic insufficiency, in order to determine the Daily Fat Excretion (DFE). In a second group of 148 cystic fibrosis patients the dietary intake of fats was controlled over a period of 72 hrs in order to calculate the Coefficient of Fat Absorption (CFA). The results obtained by the two methods were compared by a statistical evaluation which graphically describes the probability of deviation of one method from the other. Results. The determination of fecal fats by NIRA gives quite a broad dispersion of the data, and the agreement with the chemical method both in terms of DFE and CFA is limited. Conclusions. The evaluation of fecal fats by NIRA is simple and rapid. Due to the limitations presented by these data, the method could be suggested as a preliminary test for the assessment of the digestive function in cystic fibrosis patiens, but does not seem useful for a more accurate quantitative evaluation of the function.
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