title: Analysis of amylase in duodenal juice - Automated kinetic spectrophotometric analysis versus manual colorimetric endpoint assay.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The measurement of duodenal amylase by a colorimetric end-point assay has been the most used method for amylase activity analyses. The method is manual, time consuming and dependent on specialized equipment. In this study, we compare an automated kinetic spectrophotometric method for pancreatic amylase measurement in duodenal juice with a standardized colorimetric end-point assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used specimen of duodenal juice at random from a biobank obtained by short endoscopic secretin test in patients with suspected exocrine pancreatic failure of different reasons. Duodenal juice was tested for amylase activity with a conservative manual colorimetric endpoint assay (Phadebas Amylase test, Magle AB) and an automated enzymatic kinetic spectrophotometric method using standard reagents for pancreatic amylase activity for Cobas c111 (Roche Diagnostics).
  
  
  RESULTS
  52 samples for assay of amylase were analyzed in pairs. Correlation between measurements with the two methods was r = 0.99 (p < 0.001), linear regression 0.99 (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantification of duodenal amylase activity with automated spectrophotometry has excellent correlation to measurements made by the manual method. This allows for standardized, center independent analyses of duodenal amylase for the assessment of acinar pancreatic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Voss, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: friedemann.erchinger@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Friedemann
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erchinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Engjom
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Erling
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tjora
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Lage
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aksnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dimcevskir
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Oddrun Anita
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Gudbrandsen
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001331:Automation; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010189:Pancreatic Juice / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases
keywords: Amylase; Duodenal juice; Enzymes; Pancreatic function; Secretin test