title: [Differential diagnostic and prognostic value of methemalbumin determination in acute pancreatitis].
abstract: Methemalbumin (MHA) levels of serum or ascites were measured in a prospective study involving 40 patients with acute abdominal symptomatology suspected to have acute pancreatitis. MHA was demonstrated in 15 out of 18 cases, in whom a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was established later on firm grounds. MHA was positive in all cases with necrotizing pancreatitis, in all cases with a severe course of the disease involving circulatory insufficiency, and, with values significantly higher, in all cases with renal or pulmonary complications. There was no correlation between pathologically increased serum levels of enzyme activity and MHA. In one patient with chronic pancreatitis MHA could be demonstrated in serum, in another one in ascites. In extrapancreatic abdominal disease MHA was falsely positive in 4 out of 15 cases; in no one of these cases were serum enzyme activities elevated. Measurement of MHA can be used in conjunction with measurement of serum enzyme activity as an additional diagnostic and prognostic parameter in acute pancreatitis.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008705:Methemalbumin / Q000032:analysis*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006420:Hemeproteins; D008705:Methemalbumin
vernacular_title: Differentialdiagnostischer und prognostischer Wert der Methämalbumin-Bestimmung bei der akuten Pankreatitis.