Journal article

Publication year: 2008

Pages: 563-567

Journal: European Journal of Medical Research

Volume number: 13

Issue number: 12

ISSN: 0949-2321

Publisher: BioMed Central

Abstract: 

Background: There are still too few conclusive reports about conspicuous parathormone (PTH) and Vitamin D metabolism in patients with fecal elastase 1 deficiency or any connection of the calcium metabolism to the severity of exocrine pancreas insufficiency.

Methods: Between March 1998 and September 2002, we investigated on 240 female patients with fecal elastase 1 deficiency at an average age of approx. 56.4 years and suffering from meteorism and weight loss as well as on age matched 80 healthy female controls. Serum levels of PTH, total calcium, D(3)-vitamins, calcitriol and calcefediol, as well as the concentration of fecal elastase 1 were determined in patients and controls.

Results: In 240 female patients with deficiency of fecal elastase 1 only two patients show milder cases of new diagnosed primary hyperparathyroidism. Calcitriol was markedly decreased (14.3 +/- 6.1 and 20.7 +/- 9.4 pg/ml) compared to controls (41.8 +/- 8.3 pg/ml) (p<0.01). Calcefediol was not significantly different within the various elastase-groups (p=0.07). Nevertheless, vitamin D(3) and fecal elastase 1 in patients correlated significantly (p<0.01) and, compared to controls, both were extremely low (means in patients. Both D(3)-vitamins in patients were significantly lower when elastase 1 in feces was under 200 mu g/g compared to the others (for calcitriol p<0.05, for calcefediol p<0.05).

Conclusion: In female patients elastase 1 in feces confirm the grade of vitamin D supply, and thus show a vitamin D(3)-deficiency, depending on the loss of stool content. There seems to be a connection here between the loss of exocrine function and may be even the characteristic of sterol-binding of elastase 1 in the pancreas, which seems to be relevant for vitamin D-supply.

Harvard Citation style: Teichmann, J., Mann, S., Stracke, H., Lange, U., Hardt, P., Bretzel, R., et al. (2008) Parathormone levels and Vitamin D metabolism in female patients with various grades of fecal elastase 1 deficiency , European Journal of Medical Research, 13(12), pp. 563-567

APA Citation style: Teichmann, J., Mann, S., Stracke, H., Lange, U., Hardt, P., Bretzel, R., & Klör, H. (2008). Parathormone levels and Vitamin D metabolism in female patients with various grades of fecal elastase 1 deficiency . European Journal of Medical Research. 13(12), 563-567.