Serum trypsin is a reliable biomarker of pancreas function.

Abstract

Abstract: Pancreatic diseases pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges necessitating robust biomarkers for accurate diagnosis, management and monitoring of pancreas function. Pancreas function can be measured with direct (invasive) and indirect tests. However, both approaches do not allow continuous disease monitoring to identify disease progression or therapeutic response. We demonstrate literature evidence suggesting that trypsin, an important pancreatic digestive enzyme, holds promise as such a continuous biomarker. On one hand, assessment of trypsin concentration in the serum sensitively and specifically detects pancreas inflammation; whereas on the other hand, declining trypsin levels in serum showed good correlation with direct pancreatic function tests to identify exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. With this comprehensive review, we aimed to evaluate the existing evidence on the utility of trypsin as a continuous biomarker, spanning from acute to chronic pancreatitis and pancreas function, highlighting its potential in monitoring disease evolution on an individual patient level.