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We use the Pancreatic Amylase kit from Boehringer Mannheim and run it
on the Cobas Mira. It contains monoclonal antibodies which inhibit
salivary but not pancreatic amylase. Alternatively, measurement of
pancreatic lipase may be of assistance.

John Coakley
Department of Clinical Biochemistry
The New Children's Hospital
Sydney.

>A 78 year old lady was admitted in a drowsy state with a tender
abdomen and
>DKA.  She had been originally been treated elswhere and we were told
her
>amylase was 1800. On admission to us she was still in DKA and had an
>amylase of 710U/L (Vitros 750 ref range 40 - 110). Her DKA was
treated
>appropriately and succesfully and her amylase dropped over two days
to
>410U/L. On the third day the amylase started to rise, 528U/L and it was
>noticed that her parotid glands had become hard and swollen. We
cannot
> decide if her high amylase levels were due to pancreatitis, DKA  or 
> could it be salivary? Does anyone know about or have the ability to 
> differentiate between salivary and pancreatitic amylase?
>
>Paul Robinson
>Royal Berkshire Hospital
>Reading




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