Electrical polarization of rectal mucosa and excretion of tetrahydroaldosterone in patients with cystic fibrosis of pancreas and in normal subjects.

The electrical potential difference (PD) across the rectal wall was measured in 26 patients with cystic fibrosis of pancreas (CFP) and in 18 healthy subjects. The PDs obtained in normal children were identical to those previously obtained in normal adults. A significantly greater dispersion of the values was observed in CFP.