膵外分泌機能に及ぼす加齢の影響 ―加齢と糞便中キモトリプシン活性―

膵外分泌機能に及ぼす加齢の影響を検討する目的で，健常人43名，非膵疾患患者41名，老人ホーム入居者39名を対象として比色法により糞便中キモトリプシン活性（FCA）を測定し，以下の結論を得た。1）FCAは逐齢的に低下し，60歳以上は60歳未満より有意の低値を示した。しかし，分布図のretrospectiveな検討からは，膵外分泌機能の低下は，実際には65～70歳あたりから明らかになることが示唆された。2）FCAの正常下限値を14.5U/gに定めたが，高齢者の診療にあたってはこの正常値のみを根拠にして疾病の有無を判定すべきではない。3）老人ホーム入居者のFCAは特に低値を取ったがその主要因は高齢者が多いためと考えられた。

To examine the effect of aging on the pancreatic exocrine function, fecal chymotrypsin activity (FCA) was measured by the photometric method in 43 healthy controls, 39 controls in an old-age home and 41 patients with non-pancreatic diseases. Following conclusions were obtained. 1) Pancreatic exocrine function showed a significant decrease with aging as indicated by the present prospective study : ① a significantly lower FCA in the B group of 22 healthy controls (≧ 60 years of age) than the A group of 21 healthy controls (< 60 years of ago) ; ② significant correlationship between aging and FCA in the 43 healthy controls and also in the 41 patients with non-pancreatic diseases. 2) FCA in controls in an old-age home was especially low. Presumably it was due to their far-advanced aging. 3) The calculated lower limit of normal in FCA was 14.5U/g. However, the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases should not be coined solely on the basis of decreased FCA value.