The Effectiveness of Enzymatic Replacement Therapy Measured by Turbidimetry and the Lipaemic Index in Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficient Young, Growing Pigs, Fed a High-fat Diet

Purpose: Conventionally, the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) involves the consumption of a specific diet as well as the replacement of pancreatic enzymes, the effectiveness of which is usually measured by a classical method of blood analyses of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and triglycerides (TG). Dietary supplementation with a pancreatic enzyme preparation (PEP), in conjunction with a high-fat diet, on growth performance, digestibility and absorption (analysed using turbidimetry) of dietary fat in pigs with EPI was investigated.

Materials/methods: EPI was developed by surgical ligation of the pancreatic duct of six male pigs, 6 weeks of age. The pigs were fed a high fat diet (twice daily). A PEP containing 1800 mg entero-coated pancreatin was included in the high fat meals. Blood, urine and faecal samples were collected. The urine and faeces were analysed for dry matter, crude protein and fat content. The lipaemic index and plasma lipid profiles were assessed.

Results: EPI completely stopped growth of the pigs. Treatment with PEP significantly increased (P<0.05) growth and body mass as well as the digestibility of dry matter and crude protein. PEP significantly improved the co-efficient of fat absorption, the lipaemic index (measured by turbidimetry methods) and caused significant changes in plasma nonesterified fatty acids and triglyceride concentrations.

Conclusions: The short term enzymatic replacement therapy together with a high fat meal has immediate beneficial effects on diet digestibility and on the growth retardation observed in EPI pigs. The turbidimetry method used to measure lipaemic index is a reliable, quick and efficient technique in measuring plasma lipid profiles and thus a good tool for assessing fat absorption.