title: Can pancreatic steatosis explain the finding of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in subjects with dyslipidemia?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been proposed by some investigators that benign pancreatic hyperenzymemia could result from pancreatic steatosis that they believe would have been caused by dyslipidemia; their diagnosis of steatosis was based on the finding of a hyperechogenic pancreas at ultrasound. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of this proposed model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group was composed of 18 subjects with benign pancreatic hyperenzymemia, 12 men and 6 women; mean age, 55 years; range, 38 to 68 years. All 18 had dyslipidemia and 9 had hyperechogenic pancreas at ultrasound. In addition, 6 subjects with benign pancreatic hyperenzymemia but who did not have dyslipidemia or hyperechogenic pancreas and 10 healthy subjects with none of these conditions were also studied as controls. In each of these subjects, magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas was performed to assess the presence of pancreatic steatosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Magnetic resonance imaging showed normal pancreas with no signs of fatty infiltration in all 18 subjects with dyslipidemia, including those with both dyslipidemia and hyperechogenic pancreas at ultrasound. A similar result was found in all control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of a completely normal pancreas at magnetic resonance imaging does not support the proposed model in which pancreatic hyperenzymemia in subjects with dyslipidemia is attributed to pancreatic steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, St Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gullo
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salizzoni
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calculli
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bastagli
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Migliori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007517:Isoamylase / Q000097:blood; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008049:Lipase; D007517:Isoamylase