Abstract
The serum carboxypeptidase A activity (CPase) was measured in various types of patients with glucose intolerance using Okuda's colorimetric method. The relationship among CPase and the duration of diabetes mellitus, control of glucose intolerance and fasting serum IRI levels were also studied. The following results were obtained.
(1). The mean CPase in 21 normal subjects was 289.2±3.8 unit (U). (mean±SE), and no correlation was found between CPase and the age of the patients. CPase in 25 cases of adultsonset type and 14 cases of juvenile type diabetes mellitus were 257.6±6.5 U and 248.0±22.8 U respectively. CPase in 8 cases of pancreatic cancer with glucose intolerance whose diagnosis was verified by laparotomy and that in 12 cases of diabetes mellitus with liver cirrhosis were 182.9 ±6.0U and 210.8±11.6 U, respectively.
(2). No significant correlation was observed between CPase and the duration of diabetes mellitus. However, CPase levels were markedly low in cases of diabetes mellitus of long duration.
(3). Marked decrease in the level of CPase was not observed in patients with diabetes mellitus who were under good control. On the other hand, markedly low levels of CPase were often observed in patients with pancreatic cancer also having glucose intolerance and in diabetics with liver cirrhosis who were well controlled.
(4). In patients with diabetes mellitus, No significant correlation was observed between CPase and fasting serum IRI levels.
The determination of CPase seems to be a useful screening method for pancreatic damage in diabetics, and it also seems to be a useful test for diabetics in relation to clinical history and the degree of diabetic control.
