Pancreatic amylase

The pancreatic amylase analysis is applied to individuals displaying symptoms and signs of acute pancreatitis, such as intense abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. At IntroLab laboratory, you can have a blood draw for pancreatic amylase analysis and obtain the precise results needed for diagnosis. In addition, you will find competitive and affordable prices for pancreatic enzyme tests.

About pancreatic amylase

Pancreatic amylase is a specific isoenzyme of the enzyme amylase that is predominantly associated with the pancreas. The analysis of pancreatic amylase plays an important role in the diagnosis of pancreatitis, given the lack of specific symptoms. Apart from having higher specificity compared to total amylase, pancreatic amylase remains elevated longer in the blood, reducing the need to determine total amylase in urine. Elevated levels of pancreatic amylase, exceeding three times the upper reference limit, indicate a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.

In various gastrointestinal diseases, an increase in P-AMY activity up to four times the upper reference range can be expected, resulting from the involvement of the pancreas in the underlying disease. In the case of renal insufficiency, the increase in amylase activity usually does not exceed five times the upper limit. Also, in ectopic pregnancies, especially in advanced stages, an increase in P-AMY activity may be observed due to the involvement of the pancreas. This occurrence is noted even though the fallopian tubes, where the fertilized egg normally attaches, contain S-AMY (salivary isoenzyme).

Pancreatic amylase analysis – Notes

Due to the natural excretion of amylase in the urine, its level in the blood increases proportionally to kidney damage in kidney diseases. In rare cases, IgM gammopathy may affect the accuracy of laboratory amylase analysis results.

Increased activity of total or pancreatic amylase with simultaneously low activity in urine and other indicators of pancreatic inflammation (e.g., lipase) indicates the presence of macroamylase. This complex of amylase and immunoglobulin may be present in 1% of people and cannot be filtered through the kidneys. This leads to the retention of amylase in the plasma and its increased activity.