What is a stool elastase test?
This test measures the amount of elastase in your stool. Elastase is an enzyme made by special tissue in the pancreas, an organ in your upper abdomen. Elastase helps break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates after you eat. It's a key part of your digestive process.
In a healthy pancreas, elastase will be passed in the stool. If little or no elastase is found in your stool, it can mean this enzyme isn't working as it should. This is called pancreatic insufficiency. Pancreatic insufficiency can cause a number of health problems, including malabsorption and malnutrition, disorders that affect your ability to digest and take in nutrients from food.
In adults, pancreatic insufficiency is often a sign of chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis is a long-lasting condition that tends to get worse over time. It can lead to permanent damage of the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis, another form of the disease, is a short-term condition. It is usually diagnosed with blood and/or imaging tests, rather than a stool elastase test.
In children, pancreatic insufficiency can be a sign of:
Cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease that causes mucus to build up in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs
Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, a rare, inherited disease that causes problems with the skeletal system, bone marrow, and pancreas
Other names: pancreatic elastase, fecal pancreatic elastase, fecal elastase, FE-1
