Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Etiology and Pathogenesis Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a syndrome, which is caused by an insufficient amount of digestive enzymes of exocrine pancreatic origin in the small intestine. Pancreatic acinar atrophy is considered to be the most common cause of EPI in the dog, followed by chronic pancreatitis. In contrast, chronic pancreatitis is the most common cause of EPI in cats and humans. Other, less common causes of EPI in dogs and cats are pancreatic or extrapancreatic masses that lead to an obstruction of the pancreatic duct, congenital pancreatic hypo- or aplasia, as well as deficiencies of individual pancreatic digestive enzymes or of enteropeptidase may also lead to EPI, but have not been reported in dogs and cats. […]