Diagnostic Significance of Determinations of Serum Lipase

The Colorimetric Determination of Lipase and Esterase in Human Serum 1

“…The determination of serum lipase has been shown to be of value in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease (4,5). Reasons for the lack of general clinical use are probably found not only in the technical difficulties of the methods, but also in the lack of specificity for lipase particularly with substrates other than olive oil.…”

“…Lipase is abundant almost exclusively in pancreas, preferentially hydrolyzes esters of long chain fatty acids and its activity is accelerated by sodium taurocholate (1)(2)(3). Although the measurement of serum esterase has not been demonstrated to be of clinical value, the measurement of serum lipase has been found to be useful in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease (4,5).…”

The Diagnosis of Carcinoma of the Pancreas

“…N/20 sodium hydroxide as the upper limit of normality. Johnson and Bockus (1940) reported a raised value in 5 of 8 cases.…”

LABORATORY PROCEDURES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASES OF THE PANCREAS1

“…Values above 1.0 ml. N/20 NaOH are considered to be of significance by some (15, 17, 23, 24), and above 1.5 cc. N/20 NaOH by others (25, 26).…”

“…The serum lipase activity is increased early in an attack of acute pancreatitis and may remain elevated after the serum amylase activity has returned to normal (23, 26). It may also be increased early in the course of carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, when the lesion obstructs the pancreatic ducts; it decreases as the acinar cells become progressively destroyed (24). Thus, the serum lipase test is of value in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma, only when elevated values are obtained.…”