Is the fluorescein dilaurate test suitable for monitoring the effectiveness of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy??

Abstract

We have employed an oral test of pancreatic digestive function using fluorescein dilaurate (a substrate for pancreatic cholesterol ester hydrolase), administered together with pancreatic enzyme supplements, in order to test the hypothesis that urinary excretion of fluorescein provides a simple method for determining the optimal dose of oral pancreatic enzymes. Commercially available pancreatic enzyme supplements had negligible cholesterol hydrolase activity in vitro, and did not increase the urinary excretion of fluorescein when administered together with fluorescein dilaurate in 16 patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Inhibition of gastric secretion by ranitidine resulted in a s..