Exploratory end points included changes in measures of pancreatic function (fasting insulin, fasting proinsulin, and homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function) and lipid profiles.
Based on previous animal and clinical data on the effects of GLP-1 administration on HRV, the estimated GFR and duodenal aspiration measured exocrine pancreatic function; 56 62 63 assuming 2-sided significance level of 0.05 and a power (1-β) of 80%, we considered 15 participants per treatment arm to be sufficient to detect statistically significant changes in each of our outcome measures.
This study demonstrated that plane of nutrition affected several measurements of pancreatic function; however, the dosage of Arg used did not influence pancreatic function.
As pancreatic β-cell dysfunction has been established as a requisite defect in type 2 diabetes (7), these findings likely highlight the inadequacies of fasting measures as surrogates for pancreatic function (8, 9).
Gullo et al did not find any decrease in exocrine pancreatic function measured by pancreolauryl test in older people (aged 66 to 88 years, mean age 78) [ 5] nor when investigated by fecal elastase-1 tests in over 90 years old subjects [ 6].
As to the evaluation of the pancreatic exocrine function, the most sensitive diagnostic tool to detect chronic pancreatitis at its earliest stage is the secretin-stimulated endoscopic pancreatic function testing (ePFT): pancreatic exocrine reserve is measured by duodenal aspiration after direct stimulation of the gland.
Secondary outcome measures for the 12-week study consist of exocrine pancreatic function, pancreatic structure/volume, gallbladder emptying, gastric emptying, hepatic fat content and gastrointestinal damage markers (see online supplementary table C).
Alterations in Pancreatic Function -- Pt. 9. Metabolic: Nutrition -- Module 32.
Chymotrypsin is an indicator of pancreatic function and is thus related to pancreatic diseases.
Diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is hindered by methodological difficulties of pancreatic function tests.
