EFFECT OF ETHANOL ON PANCREATIC INTERSTITIAL PH AND BLOOD-FLOW IN CATS WITH CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the effects o f ethanol on pancreatic brood flow and interstitial pH in chronic panc reatitis. Background Ethanol is known to contribute to the development of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. However, it is unclear how et hanol precipitates episodes of acute pancreatic inflammation in the se tting of chronic pancreatitis. In a model of chronic pancreatitis in c ats, ii: is known that pancreatic blood flow is abnormally low and dec reases further after ethanol ingestion. Because ii: is possible that t his reduction in blood flow might be damaging to the pancreas, we inve stigated the effects of ethanol on pancreatic interstitial pH, an inde x of pancreatic ischemia, Methods In normal cats and cats with obstruc tive chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic blood flow and interstitial pH w ere measured using the hydrogen gas clearance technique and a pH micro electrode, respectively. Results in normal cats, intragastric, but not intravenous, ethanol reduced both pancreatic blood flow by 62% (p < 0 .05) and interstitial pH (7.38 +/- 0.03 to 7.20 +/- 0.03, p < 0.05). I n cats with chronic pancreatitis in which basal pancreatic blood flow was already only 60% of normal flow, both intragastric and intravenous ethanol decreased both pancreatic blood flow (intragastric, 40% decre ase, p < 0.05; intravenous, 34% decrease, p < 0.05) and interstitial p H (intragastric, 7.24 +/- 0.04 to 7.08 +/- 0.04, p < 0.05; intravenous 7.20 +/- 0.08 to 7.07 +/- 0.07, p < 0.05). Conclusions This profound decrease in pH, lasting up to 2 hours after ethanol exposure in the ch ronic pancreatitis animals, suggests the possibility of ischemic cellu lar damage to the pancreas. These findings may explain the pathogenesi s of bouts of acute pancreatic inflammation after ethanol ingestion in the setting of chronic disease.