PSEUDOPANCREATITIS IN ENTEROINVASIVE SALM ONELLA-ENTERITIDIS INFECTION

The incidence of pancreatitis in bacterial enterocolitis is disputed. Two cases of young patients with S. enteritidis-induced enterocolitis and markedly elevated amylase and lipase blood levels are described. I n both patients there were neither clinical nor ultrasonographic signs of pancreatitis. Furthermore, both had increased intestinal permeabil ity for oral Cr-51-EDTA, a condition discussed as ''leaky gut'' in oth er publications. In one patient enzyme levels and Cr-51-EDTA resorptio n became rapidly normal, while in the other the values remained elevat ed after a 7-month interval with stool culture negative. Enhanced inte stinal absorption of Cr-51-EDTA (mw 391) suggests - but does not defin itely prove - an inflammatory response of the mucosa leading to increa sed intestinal permeability, which in turn may allow resorption of amy lase (mw 62,000), lipase (43,000) or other macromolecules. Performance of a Cr-51-EDTA resorption test may be helpful in cases of clinical u ncertainty.