title: Plasma amylase estimation in recurrent abdominal pain in children.
abstract: In a prospective study of 50 children who were admitted on more than one occasion with undiagnosed abdominal pain, the serum amylase was found to be normal in every case. One case of acute pancreatitis was diagnosed in over 8000 admissions. Serum amylase estimation did not contribute to the management of children with recurrent abdominal pain, and acute pancreatitis is so rare that routine amylase estimations cannot be recommended in paediatric surgical practice.
authors.affiliation: Wessex Regional Centre for Paediatric Surgery.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Colquhoun-Flannery
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases