Serum lipase: a better test to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether serum lipase is a better test than serum amylase to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis.


METHODS
Two hundred two asymptomatic chronic alcoholics (Group A) and 29 patients with image-proven pancreatitis (Group P).


METHODS
Serum lipase was measured using the Kodak Ektachem clinical chemistry slide. Serum amylase was estimated using the Kodak Ektachem clinical chemistry slide or the Beckman Astra amylase chemistry module.


RESULTS
The level of serum amylase in Group A ranged from 17 to 347 U/L (mean 71, SD +/- 36 U/L) and in Group P from 180 to 2,985 U/L (mean 722, SD +/- 663 U/L). Thirteen of 29 patients (45%) with image-proven pancreatitis had levels that overlapped those found in asymptomatic alcoholics. The serum lipase levels in Group A ranged from 34 to 600 U/L (mean 186, SD +/- 111 U/L), while in Group P, the corresponding figures were 1,011 to 25,706 U/L (mean 5,822, SD +/- 5,664 U/L). None of the 29 patients with image-proven pancreatitis had levels that overlapped those found in asymptomatic alcoholics.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum lipase is a better test that serum amylase to diagnose acute alcoholic pancreatitis.
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Services-City Hospital Center at Elmhurst, Elmhurst, New York 11373.
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Gumaste
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Dave
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Sereny
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases