International Journal of Drug Research and Technology

BEHIND MYCYFAPP PROJECT: CORRELATING INHERENT-TO-FOOD FACTORS WITH PANCREATIC ENZYME REQUIREMENTS

Abstract

Ana M Andrés Grau

Malnutrition and growth stunting in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients can be avoided by accurate Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT), among others. However, at present there is a lack of evidence-based methods to adjust PERT dosing; current recommendations for doses adjustment rely on low level of evidence and counsel a number of Units of Lipase per gram of lipids. But it is well known that dietary lipids need to be accessible to digestive enzymes so that digestion and absorption can occur. The food matrix is degraded through the digestion process thus allowing the release of embedded lipids and the access of enzymes (lipases) to their substrates (lipids). Recent advances in food science research revealed that the different food structures modulate fatty acids release during digestion and their final metabolic fate. In addition, pancreatic lipase exhibits different hydrolytic activity depending on intramolecular structure of the lipids. Therefore, lipolysis may cause different kinetics of release of absorbable fatty acid and this can be translated into different enzymatic dosage depending on the inherent-to food characteristics.