title: Routine Measurement of Serum Amylase in Acute Abdomen.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute abdominal pain is a common condition presenting to both the emergency department (ED) and surgical admission unit. Increase in serum amylase levels are found in much gastrointestinal pathology. Serum amylase level is consistently high in acute pancreatitis though high values are not pathognomonic of pancreatitis .The aim of this study to assess the level of serum amylase in various diseases presenting with acute abdominal pain and to evaluate the role of routine measurement of serum amylase in the screening of patient with acute abdominal pain for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in a prospective series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study was performed from 15th May 2014 - 15th Nov 2014 (6 months) at Department of Surgery of Kathmandu medical College Teaching Hospital; Kathmandu. All consecutive patients presented at emergency department and required admissions in surgical ward were included. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess the level of serum amylase in various diseases presenting with acute abdominal pain including acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 318 patients were included during a period of 6 months among them 48 patients were excluded. 34 cases (12.6 %) were diagnosed of acute pancreatitis. three cases (1.1%) of non pancreatic pathology with raised serum amylase level (> 1000 U\L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine assessment of serum amylase is helpful in excluding differential diagnosis of patient presenting with acute abdomen and this study identified serum amylase as a good screening tool if done in cases with clinical suspicion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmadu, Nepal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghimire
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmadu, Nepal.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmadu, Nepal.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmadu, Nepal.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D009390:Nepal; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000681:Amylases
keywords: acute abdominal pain; acute pancreatitis; serum amylase.