title: Selective deficiency of pancreatic amylase.
abstract: Two patients with specific pancreatic amylase deficiency are described. The greatly reduced pancreatic amylase activity was not due to an enzymatically inactive amylase molecule but to an almost complete absence of the molecule itself. The findings are of diagnostic importance as they show that low pancreatic amylase activity in serum or duodenal aspirates, or both, does not necessarily represent chronic exocrine pancreatic disease such as chronic pancreatitis, carcinoma of the pancreas, or cystic fibrosis but may be an isolated finding. In one of our patients a familial occurrence was shown, indicating a congenital deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sjölund
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Häggmark
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ihse
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Skude
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kärnström
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wikander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000172:deficiency*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007517:Isoamylase / Q000032:analysis; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology*; D010375:Pedigree; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases; D007517:Isoamylase; D014357:Trypsin