GI / Pancreas
Amylase
Pancreatic + salivary enzyme; less specific than lipase for pancreatitis.
Sample
Serum
Clinical reference range
30 to 110 U/L
Adult
Conv: 30–110 U/L
Biology
What it measures
Two isoenzymes (P-type pancreatic, S-type salivary). Renally cleared.
Differential
Causes of abnormal values
Causes of HIGH
- ↑Pancreatitis
- ↑Salivary gland disease (mumps, Sjögren)
- ↑Macroamylasemia
- ↑DKA
- ↑Bowel obstruction/perforation
- ↑Ovarian neoplasm
Pitfalls
Pre-analytic & interpretation traps
- !Macroamylasemia: amylase bound to immunoglobulin → persistently elevated, asymptomatic. Calculate amylase/creatinine clearance ratio (<1% suggests macroamylasemia).
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