Serum enzyme half life can be a useful factor for follow-up management of biliary pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to show that the half lives of serum amylase and lipase activities could be useful factors for follow-up management of biliary pancreatitis.


METHODS
Ten patients with initial biliary pancreatitis (IBP) and six with post-endoscopic pancreatitis (PEP) were selected from those who had undergone endoscopic surgery. Serum amylase and lipase activities were examined and the relaxation patterns were investigated continuously after the endoscopic removal of the pancreatico-biliary obstruction causing this disease.


RESULTS
Pancreatitis in the subjects was confirmed as a biliary type since the serum bilirubin activities decreased exponentially after removal of the obstruction. The average half lives of serum amylase and lipase were both larger in the IBP, while the average peak values were higher in the PEP.


CONCLUSIONS
Half life can be a useful factor for follow-up management of this disease.
Choi
Joon Hyuck
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu 712-702, Republic of Korea.
Kang
Nam Lyong
NL
Choi
Sang Don
SD