Exocrine pancreatic function in children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Exocrine pancreatic function was evaluated in 21 diabetic children on the basis of a p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) test and a determination of fasting serum amylase, pancreatic isoamylase, lipase, trypsin and elastase levels. Fecal chymotrypsin was also measured. Compared to the controls, the diabetic children had significantly lower levels of trypsin (P < 0.001) and elastase (P < 0.02). Fecal chymotrypsin appeared to be significantly lower (P < 0.01) in diabetic children than in controls but in all patients fecal chymotrypsin values registered above the limit considered to be normal. No significant correlation was observed between pancreatic enzyme concentrations, serum and urinary PABA values, and chronologic age, HbA1 and insulin requirement. Only for serum PABA a significant negative correlation with duration of disease (P < 0.01) has been observed. These data show that exocrine pancreatic function may be abnormal in children with IDDM.