Effect of the administration of rectal indomethacin on amylase serum levels after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and its impact on the development of secondary pancreatitis episodes]

BACKGROUND: Hyperamylasemia and acute pancreatitis represent the most frequent major complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), developing in 1-30% of cases. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of hyperamylasemia and acute pancreatitis after ERCP, and to assess the utility of rectal indomethacin to prevent these events. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized clinical trial. During a 12-month period 150 patients were included. They were divided up into a study group (n = 75), where 100 mg of rectal indomethacin were administered 2 hours prior to the procedure, and a control group (n = 75), which received rectal glycerin. Two hours after ERCP serum amylase levels were measured and classified as follows: 0or=600 IU/L. Clinical pancreatitis episodes were quantified and classified according to Ranson's criteria. RESULTS: Gender distribution: 100 women and 50 men. Mean age: 55.37 +/- 18.0 for the study group, and 51.1 +/- 17.0 for the control group. A diagnosis of benign pathology was present in 56 (74.7%) cases in the study group, and 59 (78.7%) controls. After ERCP 13 (17.3%) patients in the study group and 28 (37.3%) in the control group developed hyperamylasemia (p (2) 0.05). Hyperamylasemia > 600 IU/L was found in 3 patients in the study group, and in 10 in the control group (p = 0.001). Mild pancreatitis was detected in 4 (5.3%) patients in the study group, and in 12 (16%) patients in the control group (p = 0.034). There were no deaths or adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal indomethacin before ERCP decreases the risk of hyperamylasemia and pancreatitis. Indomethacine is a feasible, low-cost drug with minimal or nil side effects.     

经皮胆道支架植入术后高淀粉酶血症和胰腺炎的发生率及危险因素分析

目的分析经皮肝穿刺胆道支架植入(PTBS)术后高淀粉酶血症和急性胰腺炎的临床特征,探讨其相关危险因素。方法回顾性收集2016年3月—2020年2月于南京医科大学第一附属医院介入放射科收治且接受PTBS治疗的249例恶性胆道梗阻患者的临床资料。根据术后患者有无高淀粉酶血症或急性胰腺炎,将所有患者分为高淀粉酶血症和胰腺炎组(n=55)、无高淀粉酶血症和胰腺炎组(n=194),并分析其发生率、严重程度及相关危险因素。计量资料两组间比较采用t检验或Mann-Whitney U检验。计数资料两组间比较采用χ²检验。将上述单因素分析中P<0.1的因素纳入多因素logistic回归分析,探究PTBS术后高淀粉酶血症和急性胰腺炎的独立危险因素。结果PTBS术后,共55例(22.1%)发生血清淀粉酶异常升高,其中26例(10.4%)诊断为高淀粉酶血症,29例(11.7%)诊断为急性胰腺炎。所有胰腺炎均表现为轻度。多因素logistic回归分析发现,年龄(≤60岁)(OR=2.2,95%CI:1.07~4.52,P=0.033)、碘-125粒子条植入(OR=2.8,95%CI:1.21~6.45,P=0.016)、胆道支架跨乳头释放(OR=6.3,95%CI:2.85~14.05,P<0.001)及术中胰管显影(OR=13.9,95%CI:5.64~34.03,P<0.001)是PTBS术后高淀粉酶血症和急性胰腺炎的危险因素。结论高淀粉酶血症和急性胰腺炎是PTBS术后相对常见的并发症。年龄≤60岁、同期碘粒子条植入、胆道支架跨乳头释放及术中胰管显影是PTBS术后发生高淀粉酶血症和胰腺炎的独立风险因素。     

静脉滴注丹参注射液预防ERCP术后高淀粉酶血症及急性胰腺炎的临床研究

目的探讨丹参注射液预防内镜逆行胰胆管造影(ERCP)术后高淀粉酶血症及胰腺炎的临床疗效。方法将100例胆总管结石需行ERCP术患者,随机分为观察组50例和对照组50例,两组患者ERCP术后给予常规鼻胆引流、抗感染、抑制胰酶分泌等治疗,观察组于ERCP术前及术后1 d,给予丹参注射液250 mL,2次/d,静脉滴注。分别于术前、术后3 h、24 h检测两组患者的血淀粉酶、脂肪酶水平、术后24 h CRP。统计术后高淀粉酶血症、胰腺炎发生率。结果两组患者术后3 h、24 h血淀粉酶明显高于术前,但观察组术后3 h、24 h血淀粉酶低于对照组同期水平(P0.05);观察组患者高淀粉酶血症发生率为42%(21/50),术后胰腺炎发生率为0%(0/50),对照组高淀粉酶血症发生率为80%(40/50),术后胰腺炎发生率为8%(4/50)。结论丹参注射液对ERCP术后高淀粉酶血症、胰腺炎有一定的预防作用。     

胰管支架预防高危ERCP术后胰腺炎的临床分析

目的 观察胰管支架置人预防高危患者内镜逆行胰胆管造影（ERCP）术后胰腺炎及高淀粉酶血症的效果.方法 将确定有ERCP指征并符合纳入标准的72例高危患者按照随机数字表法分为胰管支架组和对照组,每组36例.比较两组术后3h、24 h血清淀粉酶水平及高淀粉酶血症、急性胰腺炎、重症胰腺炎的发生率.结果 胰管支架组术后3h和术后24 h血淀粉酶值分别为（128.68±173.35） U/L和（92.41±88.44） U/L,均低于对照组（432.37 ±515.20） U/L和（465.89±736.54） U/L,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;胰管支架组术后高淀粉酶血症、急性胰腺炎、重症胰腺炎的发生率分别为5.6％、2.8％、0,对照组为22.2％、16.7％、11.1％,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论 胰管支架置入能明显降低高危患者ERCP术后高淀粉酶血症、急性胰腺炎及重症胰腺炎的发生率.     

Pancreatitis associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreaticobiliary maljunction is a rare anomaly, but causes various pathological conditions in the biliary tract and the pancreas. This study aims at clarifying the features of pancreatitis associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. METHODOLOGY: A total of 100 patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction were reviewed. Clinical findings and cholangiopancreatographic results in patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 100 patients, 14 had pancreatic disorders: acute pancreatitis (n = 3), chronic pancreatitis (n = 5), hyperamylasemia (n = 4), and pancreatic carcinoma (n = 2). The acute pancreatitis was mild (n = 3) and relapsing (n = 2). In patients with chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic stones (n = 2) and radiolucent protein plugs (n = 2) were detected only in the dilated common channel or in the main pancreatic duct near the common channel. Two patients received cyst-duodenostomy in the infant developed chronic pancreatitis 11 and 27 years later. CONCLUSIONS: Acute or chronic pancreatitis was sometimes associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. These pancreatitis cases showed different clinical and pancreatographic findings from others. These differences might be due to the peculiar mechanism that they were induced by bile reflux into the pancreatic duct via the anomalous connection.     

Stent placement in the pancreatic duct prevents pancreatitis after endoscopic sphincter dilation for removal of bile duct stones

BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis is the most serious complication of endoscopic sphincter dilation. The aim of this study was to determine whether temporary stent placement in the main pancreatic duct decreases the frequency of pancreatitis and level of hyperamylasemia. METHODS: Stents were placed in the pancreatic duct after endoscopic sphincter dilation in 40 consecutive patients with bile duct stones. Stents were removed endoscopically 3 days later. Changes in serum amylase and the frequency of pancreatitis for this group were compared with those in 92 patients who underwent sphincter dilation without pancreatic duct stent placement. RESULTS: Stent placement was successful in 38 of 40 patients. Although the difference in the frequency of pancreatitis was not significantly different between stent and control groups, there was a trend toward a decrease in pancreatitis in the stent group. The level of postprocedure hyperamylasemia was significantly less in the stent group (p < 0.05). There were no procedure-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Temporary placement of a stent in the pancreatic duct after sphincter dilation for removal of bile duct stones has a beneficial effect in terms of postprocedure hyperamylasemia and appears to reduce the frequency of postprocedure pancreatitis.     

Clinical Value of Routine Isoamylase Analysis of Hyperamylasemia

To study incidence and cause of hyperamylasemia in various diseases, serum amylase was determined in 1371 consecutive patients and subsequent isoamylase analysis was carried out in 91 hyperamylasemic sera. Hyperamylasemia was observed in various diseases: acute pancreatitis (5/5), chronic pancreatitis (0/3), mumps (3/3), cerebrovascular diseases (2/39), respiratory diseases (6/69), heart diseases (5/89), liver diseases (16/101), cholelithiasis (0/13), diabetes mellitus (2/66), peptic ulcer (0/46), other digestive diseases (0/33), malignant tumor (9/249), renal failure (21/25), intraabdominal surgery (9/35), extraabdominal surgery (2/20), trauma (1/23), and miscellaneous (10/552). Salivary type hyperamylasemia due to dominant increase of salivary type isoamylase occurred in over half of the hyperamylasemic patients. Knowledge of hyperamylasemia in various diseases and routine isoamylase analysis of hyperamylasemic sera would enhance diagnostic accuracy and exclude unnecessary treatment of pancreatitis solely because of the presence of hyperamylasemia.     

Cholecystokinin antagonist prevents hyperamylasemia and improves pancreatic exocrine function in cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis.

Supramaximal cerulein administration induces acute pancreatitis, which markedly impairs pancreatic secretion in conscious rats. We hypothesized that pretreatment with the potent cholecystokinin antagonist, L-364,718, improves the pancreatic secretory impairment associated with cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. Rats were surgically prepared with gastric, duodenal, bile, and pancreatic fistulas and jugular vein catheters. On postoperative day 4, groups of rats were administered (a) L-364,718 1 mg/kg intraduodenally, (b) cerulein 5 micrograms/kg/h for 6 h intravenously, (c) L-364,718 1 mg/kg intraduodenally followed by cerulein 5 micrograms/kg/h for 6 h intravenously, and (d) safflower oil carrier intraduodenally. On postoperative day 5, we studied cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated pancreatic secretion. Plasma amylase was measured at the time of surgery and at the conclusion of experiments on postoperative days 4 and 5. The duodenally administered CCK antagonist had no effect, 24 h later, on CCK-evoked protein secretion and prevented the pancreatic exocrine impairment and hyperamylasemia caused by supramaximal cerulein administration. These observations suggest that cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis is mediated by a CCK-receptor mechanism.     

Pharmacologic treatment can prevent pancreatic injury after ERCP: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The identification of therapeutic agents that can prevent the pancreatic injury after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is of considerable importance. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis including 28 clinical trials on the use of somatostatin (12 studies), octreotide (10 studies), and gabexate mesilate (6 studies) after ERCP. Outcome measures evaluated were the incidence of acute pancreatitis, hyperamylasemia, and pancreatic pain. Three analyses were run separately: for all available studies, for randomized trials only, and for only those studies published as complete reports. RESULTS: When all available studies were analyzed, somatostatin and gabexate mesilate were significantly associated with improvements in all three outcomes. Odds ratios (OR) for gabexate mesilate were 0.27 (95% CI [0.13, 0. 57], p = 0.001) for acute pancreatitis, 0.66 (95% CI [0.48, -0.89], p = 0.007) for hyperamylasemia, and 0.33 (95% CI [0.18, 0.58], p = 0. 0005) for post-procedural pain. Somatostatin reduced acute pancreatitis (OR 0.38: 95% CI [0.22, 0.65], p < 0.001), pain (OR 0. 24: 95% CI [0.14, 0.42], p < 0.001), and hyperamylasemia (OR 0.65: 95% CI [0.48, 0.90], p = 0.008). Octreotide was associated only with a reduced risk of post-ERCP hyperamylasemia (OR 0.51: 95% CI [0.31, 0.83], p = 0.007) but had no effect on acute pancreatitis and pain. The statistical significance of data did not change after analyzing randomized trials only or studies published as complete reports. For each considered outcome, the publication bias assessment and the number of patients that need to be treated to prevent one adverse effect were, respectively, higher and lower for somatostatin than for gabexate mesilate. CONCLUSIONS: The pancreatic injury after ERCP can be prevented with the administration of either somatostatin or gabexate mesilate, but the former agent is more cost-effective. Additional studies comparing the efficacy of short-term infusion of somatostatin versus gabexate mesilate in patients at high risk for post-ERCP complications seem warranted.     

Protective effects of endothelin-1 on acute pancreatitis in rats

Endothelin-1, a 21-residue peptide isolated from vascular endothelial cells, has a broad spectrum of actions. To clarify the involvement of endothelin-1 in acute pancreatitis, we examined the effects of endothelin-1 and its receptor antagonist BQ-123 on cerulein-induced pancreatitis in rats. Rats were infused intravenously with heparin-saline (control), endothelin-1 (100 pmol/kg/hr), cerulein (5 µg/kg/hr), or cerulein plus endothelin-1 for 3.5 hr. In another experiment, cerulein or cerulein plus BQ-123 (3 mg/kg/hr) was infused. Infusion of cerulein caused hyperamylasemia and pancreatic edema. Endothelin-1, when infused with cerulein, decreased the extent of pancreatic edema with a significant increase in the pancreatic dry- to wet-weight ratio. Histological changes induced by cerulein were markedly attenuated when endothelin-1 was given with cerulein. In contrast, endothelin-receptor blockade with BQ-123 further augmented pancreatic edema caused by cerulein. The extent of inflammatory cell infiltration was greater when BQ-123 was given with cerulein. Endothelin-1 or BQ-123 had no influence on hyperamylasemia. This study suggests that endothelin-1 has protective effects on experimental acute pancreatitis.Supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education, Japan (No. B-04454330).     

Serum amylase isozymes in patients with chronic pancreatitis with hyperamylasemia

In order to clarify the relationship between hyperamylasemia and clinical states in chronic pancreatitis, serum amylase isozymes were studied in 39 cases of chronic pancreatitis including 13 cases of alcoholic pancreatitis. Hyperamylasemia in chronic pancreatitis is generally due to high pancreatic type isoamylase (P-amylase) activity in acute exacerbation, sometimes accompanied by a transient elevation in salivary type isoamylase (S-amylase). On remission, however, hyperamylasemia due to high S-amylase activity has been found. These were cases of advanced alcoholic pancreatitis, which exhibited a characteristic pattern of low serum P-amylase and high serum S-amylase activities while the clearance ratio (Cam/Ccr) was normal despite high S-amylase activity. It should be noted that hyperamylasemia in chronic pancreatitis may be caused by high S-amylase activity in addition to high P-amylase activity, especially in alcoholic pancreatitis.     

Do preoperative pancreatic stents increase operative morbidity for chronic pancreatitis?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies suggest that preoperative placement of bile duct stents increases morbidity after pancreatic surgery. The influence of pancreatic duct stenting on outcome after pancreatic surgery is unknown. METHODOLOGY: The records of 264 consecutive patients who underwent lateral pancreaticojejunostomy, pancreaticoduodenectomy, or distal pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 137 patients who received preoperative endoscopic pancreatic stents. The remainder underwent preoperative ERCP without stent placement. Both groups had a similar stage of disease measured by endoscopic, clinical, and histological findings. The overall postoperative morbidity was higher in the stent group (19.7% vs. 42.3%, p<0.001, odds ratio 3.0). Intra-abdominal complications occurred more frequently in the stent group (10.2% vs. 32.8%, p<0.001), including a difference in pancreatic leaks. There was no difference in extra-abdominal complications (10.2% vs. 13.1%) and mortality (1.6% vs. 1.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo pancreatic duct stenting and require surgical drainage at a later point have a threefold increased risk for peri-operative complications. An increase in intra-abdominal complications might be related to stent associated pancreatic duct injuries, stent occlusion, and bacterial colonization of the stent.     

Where does serum amylase come from and where does it go?

The serum amylase concentration reflects the balance between the rates of amylase entry into and removal from the blood. Hyperamylasemia can result either from an increased rate of entry of amylase into the circulation and/or a decreased metabolic clearance of this enzyme. The pancreas and salivary glands have amylase concentrations that are several orders of magnitude greater than that of any other normal tissue, and these two organs probably account for almost all of the serum amylase activity in normal persons. A variety of techniques are now available to distinguish pancreatic from salivary-type isoamylase. Pancreatic hyperamylasemia results from an insult to the pancreas, ranging from trivial (cannulation of the pancreatic duct) to severe (pancreatitis). In addition, loss of bowel integrity (infarction or perforation) causes pancreatic hyperamylasemia due to absorption of amylase from the intestinal lumen. Hyperamylasemia due to salivary-type isoamylase is observed in conditions involving the salivary glands. In addition, this type of hyperamylasemia occurs in conditions in which there is no clinical evidence of salivary gland disease, such as chronic alcoholism, postoperative states (particularly postcoronary bypass), lactic acidosis, anorexia nervosa or bulimia, and malignant neoplasms that secrete amylase. Hyperamylasemia can also result from decreased metabolic clearance of amylase due to renal failure or macroamylasemia (a condition in which an abnormally high-molecular-weight amylase is present in the serum). Patients with abdominal pain and a markedly elevated serum amylase (more than three times the upper limit of normal) usually have acute pancreatitis, and additional serum enzyme testing is not helpful. Patients with smaller elevations of serum amylase often have conditions other than pancreatitis, and measurement of a serum enzyme more specific for the pancreas (pancreatitic isoamylase, lipase or trypsin) is frequently of diagnostic value in such patients.     

Acute necrotic pancreatitis: toward restriction of surgical indications

Fifty-two patients operated for acute necrotising pancreatitis are reported. All severely-ill patients, operated early in order to perform a necrosectomy, died subsequently. Patients without severe illness were operated either for a complication of their pancreatic necrosis or electively for biliary lithiasis. The postoperative mortality was 29 p. 100 and 0 p. 100 respectively. Pancreatic necrosectomies were associated with a high morbidity whether performed for complications (64 p. 100) or during elective biliary surgery (33 p. 100). From this study, it appears that there is no indication for early necrosectomy in the severe forms of acute necrotising pancreatitis. However, pancreatic abscess remains a formal indication for drainage. It seems also justified to perform elective surgery without necrosectomy for biliary lithiasis complicated by acute necrotising pancreatitis.     

Differential Determination of Serum Isoamylase Using an Amylase Inhibitor and Its Clinical Application

Diagnostic significance of a simple and rapid screening procedure for determining the relative amounts of pancreatic and salivary isoamylase using an amylase inhibitor was evaluated in 242 subjects (controls 84, acute pancreatitis nine, chronic pancreatitis 28, pancreatic cancer 14, peptic ulcer 25, liver cirrhosis 15, cholelithiasis 24, irritable colon syndrome 13, diabetes mellitus 13, mumps seven, and chronic renal failure 10). Electrophoretically separated isoamylases of saliva and pure pancreatic juice were all inhibited at similar degrees to the corresponding unfractionated amylases. Total amylase and pancreatic isoamylase were elevated in all nine patients with acute pancreatitis. Pancreatic isoamylase was decreased in 12 of 28 patients (43%) with chronic pancreatitis and increased in nine of 14 patients (64%) with pancreatic cancer. The mean pancreatic isoamylase activity in the patients with acute pancreatitis was significantly higher (p less than 0.01), while that of chronic pancreatitis was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) when compared with controls. The inhibition method offers simple, rapid, and specific analysis of serum isoamylase for the differential diagnosis of hyperamylasemia in cases of emergency.     

Hyperamylasemia and pancreatitis following spiral enteroscopy

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis is a significant potential complication with double-balloon enteroscopy. Hyperamylasemia is frequently observed after both double-balloon enteroscopy and single-balloon enteroscopy but often without associated pancreatitis. Whether the same phenomenon occurs with spiral enteroscopy is currently unknown.

AIMS:

To determine the incidence of pancreatitis and hyperamylasemia following spiral enteroscopy.

METHODS:

A prospective cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing proximal spiral enteroscopy was conducted. Serum amylase levels were measured immediately before and following the procedure, combined with observation for clinical signs of pancreatitis.

RESULTS:

A total of 32 patients underwent proximal spiral enteroscopy, with a mean total procedure time of 51 min (range 30 min to 100 min) and mean depth of insertion of 240 cm (range 50 cm to 350 cm). The diagnostic yield was 50%, with 31% of all procedures being therapeutic. While no patients exhibited signs that raised suspicion of pancreatitis, hyperamylasemia was common (20%). Hyperamylasemia was not significantly associated with procedure duration or depth of insertion but was linked to patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and with the use of propofol sedation, suggesting that it may be more common in difficult cases.

CONCLUSIONS:

Postprocedural hyperamylasemia occurred frequently with proximal spiral enteroscopy, while no associated pancreatitis was observed. This finding suggests that hyperamylasemia may not necessarily reflect pancreatic injury nor portend a risk for pancreatitis.     

经内镜逆行胰胆管造影术后急性胰腺炎与高淀粉酶血症对比观察

目的 比较经内镜逆行胰胆管造影术(ERCP)后急性胰腺炎(PEP)与高淀粉酶血症(PEHA)患者的临床特点及影响因素,为预防病情进展提供依据。 方法 选取武汉大学人民医院2017年1月-2019年8月住院行ERCP的患者117例,所有患者术前均预防性使用双氯芬酸钠栓塞肛。术后发生PEHA组77例,PEP组40例,比较2组患者临床特点及影响因素。符合正态分布的计量资料2组间比较采用t检验;不符合正态分布的计量资料2组间比较采用Mann-Whitney U检验;计数资料2组间比较采用χ2检验;采用多因素logistic回归分析PEP的独立影响因素。结果 术前ALP(Z=-2.518,P=0.012)、GGT(Z=-2.313,P=0.021)、TBil(Z=-2.978,P=0.003)、DBil(Z=-3.069,P=0.002)水平及术中是否行导丝进入胰管检查(χ2=4.176,P=0.041)在两组之间差异显著。进一步logistic回归分析结果显示,导丝进入胰管次数≥3次[优势比(OR)=2.469,95%可信区间(95%CI): 1.199~5.188,P=0.047]、ALP<125 U/L(OR=5.499,95%CI: 1.452~18.830,P=0.012)、TBil<22 μmol/L(OR=4.249,95%CI: 1.023~17.648,P=0.046)是影响PEP发生的独立危险因素。结论 即使预防性使用双氯芬酸钠栓剂,术前ALP、TBil水平正常及术中导丝多次进入胰管的患者更易发生PEP,需引起手术医师警惕。根据病情,术前及术后采取早期干预措施可能减少PEHA向PEP进展,减少中重度PEP的发生,改善预后。     

内镜超声引导下胰腺病灶细针穿刺抽吸术的安全性分析

目的 探讨胰腺病灶内镜超声引导下细针穿刺抽吸术(EUS-FNA)的安全性.方法 选择2005年1月至2007年6月间行胰腺EUS-FNA的患者,记录并发症情况,结合文献资料,分析可能的相关危险因素.结果 总共119例患者行胰腺EUS-FNA,其中1例出现术后急性轻症胰腺炎,经治疗后治愈,9例患者(7.6%)术后3 h出现高淀粉酶血症,血淀粉酶197～835 U/L,平均(327±200)U/L,6例(5.0%)患者术后24 h血淀粉酶仍持续升高.经Logistic回归分析发现既往急性胰腺炎病史、性别、穿刺针大小及穿刺针数、囊性病灶、术前血淀粉酶值以及病灶部位可能均不是高淀粉酶血的危险因素.结论 胰腺EUS-FNA术后总的并发症发生率较低,是一项安全的操作技术.     

Amylase Isoenzymes in the Acute Abdomen: An Adjunct in those Patients with Elevated Total Amylase

The role of routine isoamylase determinations in differentiating acute pancreatitis from other causes of an acute abdomen with hyperamylasemia and/or hyperamylasuria was evaluated. Values were analyzed from a control group of 21 patients with acute pancreatitis (group I) and from 100 consecutive patients diagnosed in our emergency department as having an acute abdomen (group II). In group I, 100% of patients had hyperamylasemia, hyperamylasuria, and a P isoamylase fraction greater than 0.75 of the total amylase value. In group II, 50% of patients had hyperamylasemia and/or hyperamylasuria. Of these patients, 44% had a P isoamylase fraction less than 0.75 of the total amylase value, a finding apparently incompatible with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis as identified by our control group. We conclude that routine isoamylase determinations in patients with an acute abdomen and hyperamylasemia and/or hyperamylasuria allows the differentiation from acute pancreatitis in 44% of cases.     

Hyperamylasemia in Patients with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Marked elevations of serum amylase, unexplained despite extensive evaluation in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), prompted this retrospective review of 85 patients to determine the prevalence of hyperamylasemia and identify any associated demographic and etiologic factors. Of 39 patients who had amylase determinations, 54% had hyperamylasemia (2/3 pancreatic, 1/3 salivary) and 31% had pancreatitis. Biliary tract disease, alcohol intake, and opportunistic infections were similar in hyperamylasemic and normoamylasemic subjects. Non-Caucasian race, intravenous drug abuse, renal dysfunction, alkaline phosphatase elevation, and pentamidine use were more prevalent in patients with hyperamylasemia (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.001, p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05, and p less than 0.05, respectively). However, by stepwise deletion multiple regression analysis, only non-Caucasian race, pentamidine use, and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection were significant, independent predictors of hyperamylasemia (R2 = 0.65). Followed over time, in a historical prospective manner, case fatality rates (66.6% and 61.1%) and median survival times (101 and 84 days) were similar in the hyperamylasemic and normoamylasemic groups. We conclude that, although pancreatitis occurs frequently in AIDS, hyperamylasemia is often of salivary origin and clinical outcome is unaffected. Certain demographic factors are strongly associated with hyperamylasemia in AIDS patients, but multiple, concurrent, etiologic factors are probably operative in these patients.