A previous report has show that cerulein in physiological doses reduces the rate mortality of pancreatitis by decreasing the enzyme content of the pancreas. Clinically detectable signs of lung injury develop in up to 50-70 percent of patients with acute pancreatitis. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of acute reduction of pancreatic enzyme content on the pancreatitis pulmonary injury. Experimental haemorrhagic pancreatitis was induced by intraductal injection of 5 per cent sodium taurocholate in two groups of Wistar rats: group I (pancreatitis) and group II (pancreatitis after decreasing pancreatic enzyme content). Dye Evans blue was used to evaluate the lung injury. The degree of histologically observed lesions were similar in both groups, but the pulmonary lesion was smaller in group II than group I (p < 0.05).
In conclusion: 1) pancreatitis' pulmonary lesion may be related with pancreatic enzymes that reach the blood stream and 2) the reduction of the pancreatic enzyme content has a beneficial effect on acute pancreatitis and reduces its pulmonary injury.