A comparative study of volatile fatty acids in the blood and in the drainage from pancreatic fistula in pancreatic necrosis

Abstract

Relevance. The informative value of the content of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the fistulous drainage from pancreas not been studied in the diagnosis of pancreonecrosis (PN). The informative value of the indices of the content of VFA in the blood has not been studied sufficiently in the diagnosis of PN.
 Aim of the study is to compare the content of VFA in the blood and in the fistulous drainage from pancreas in patients with pancreatic necrosis.
 Materials and methods. Samples of blood and fistulous drainage from pancreas isolated from patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PN were studied (n = 18). There was analysis of the concentrations of VFA: acetic, propionic, butyric and isovaleric acids by gas-liquid chromatography on an automated gas chromatograph "Crystallux-4000" with a capillary column "HP-FFAP" Agilent Technologies and a flame ionization detector. The anaerobic index and sum of VFA were calculated.
 Results. Higher values of the content of acetic, propionic and butyric acids, the sum of VFA and lower values of the content of isovaleric acid and anaerobic index were found in patients with PN in comparison with those of practically healthy donors. Higher values of the content of acetic, propionic and isovaleric acid, the sum of VFA and anaerobic index were noted in the fistulous drainage from pancreas in comparison with the same parameters in blood in patients with PN. The correlation of pairwise conjugated parameters of the content of propionic and isovaleric acids, anaerobic index and the sum of VFA in fistulous drainage from pancreas and blood are discovered in patients with PN.
 Conclusions. The concentration of acetic, propionic and isovaleric acids, the sum of VFA were higher in the fistulous drainage from pancreas than in the blood in patients with PN. The analysis of the parameters of the VFA can be used as additional criteria for the early diagnosis of PN.