Early prediction of aetiology and severity of acute pancreatitis by serum amylase and lipase assays.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether simple pancreatic enzyme assays are useful in the early assessment of aetiology and prognosis of acute pancreatitis.


METHODS
A retrospective clinical study.


METHODS
Department of Internal Medicine with a Pancreatic Disease Centre.


METHODS
The study included 246 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to our Unit within the first 24 hours from the onset of disease. Amylase and lipase serum levels and lipase/amylase ratio were evaluated.


RESULTS
Serum amylase was higher in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis than oedematous and biliary pancreatitis than alcoholic (p < 0.009 and p < 0.05 respectively), but a high degree of overlap between values was found. No differences were noted in lipase serum levels. Lipase/amylase ratio was not different between patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation of serum amylase and lipase is not useful for assessing aetiology and severity of acute pancreatitis, although amylase may be higher in severe and biliary forms.
XXI Divisione Medicina Interna Centro Malattie del Pancreas, Ospedale A. Cardarelli, Napoli.
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D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases