35 year old male
Severe Left Iliac Fossa Pain (warrants admission)
Pancreatic Amylase 36 (NR up to 53)
GGT 220 (NR up to 50)
**PLASMA LIPASE 2,650 (NR < 190 U/l)**
Fasting Triglycerides 4.6 mmol/l; Porphyrins Negative
Abdo Ultrasounds: fatty liver, otherwise normal.
(1) Why is the lipase so markedly elevated ? If this were pancreatitis, then one would expect Pancreatic Amylase to be elevated too, and possibly some changes on ultrasound.
(2) I understand that amylase can sometimes be normal in acute pancreatitis, but under what circumstances ? and could this apply here ?
Any comments or enlightenment would be welcomed.
Dr Chris Florkowski
Chemical Pathologist
Christchurch, New Zealand
** This email and attachments have been scanned for content and viruses
and is believed to be clean **
This email or attachments may contain confidential or legally
privileged information intended for the sole use of the addressee(s).
Any use, redistribution, disclosure, or reproduction of this message,
except as intended, is prohibited. If you received this email in error,
please notify the sender and remove all copies of the message,
including any attachments. Any views or opinions expressed in this
email (unless otherwise stated) may not represent those of Canterbury
District Health Board.
|