Can pancreatic steatosis explain the finding of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in subjects with dyslipidemia?
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.
Gullo
Lucio
L
Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, St Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Salizzoni
Eugenio
E
Serra
Carla
C
Calculli
Lucia
L
Bastagli
Luciana
L
Migliori
Marina
M
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
D008049:Lipase; D007517:Isoamylase