The Exocrine Pancreas in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Fifty-five randomly selected diabetics were evaluated by means of a battery of pancreatic exocrine function tests. Forty (73%) were found to have an abnormal secretin test (i. e., either low total duodenal bicarbonate output or an excessive elevation of serum diastase following secretin stimulation); 75% had an abnormal serum diastase value; 50% had an abnormal urinary diastase value. The incidence of abnormal pancreatic exocrine function increased with age. Of the diabetics with an abnormal secretin test, 68% were neither obese nor had a family history of diabetes mellitus; 60% of the diabetics with a normal secretin test were either obese or had a family history of diabetes. Of the 41 diabetics with an abnormal serum diastase value, 78% also had an abnormal secretin test. It cannot be determined from this study whether the diabetes or the pancreatic exocrine dysfunction occurred primarily in those subjects discovered to have both abnormalities.