[Hyperamylasemia and pancreatic diseases in children].

Abstract

Elevated alpha-amylase activity in serum was thought for a long time to be a laboratory standard in diagnosis of acute pancreatic disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of routine measurement of total serum amylase (using the Boehringer Mannheim EPS method) and pancreatic isoamylase (using Boehringer Mannheim EPS method) and lipase (Kodak Eastman) in children. Authors examined the group of 93 children with abdominal pain whose age ranged from 5 to 17 years. In previous laboratory measurements using Spofa test (Slovakofarma) they were found to have elevated alpha-amylase in serum, thus the pancreatic disorder was put in question. A pancreatic disorder was proven in 9 children (9.7%) from this group. The authors consider the measurements given above to be the markers significantly improving the specificity of routine biochemistry in children with pancreatic diseases.