[Value of laboratory tests and echography in the diagnosis of biliary disease in the initial phase of acute pancreatitis].

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (APh) and real time ultrasonography (US) in distinguishing between gallstone and non gallstone related acute pancreatitis (A.P.). The second aim was to evaluate whether or nor there was biliary tract hypertension. Both aims were designed in order to evaluate them in the early stage of A.P. Two Groups of patients were studied. Group 1--gallstone related A.P., 63 pts. Group 2--Non gallstone related A.P. 21 pts. Fifty nine (93.6%) of Group 1 and 11 (52.3%) of Group 2 had surgical confirmation. In the other, the diagnosis was based on US and C.T. Blood samples were taken during the three days after admission for biochemical test and US was performed within the same period. Statistical evaluation and Student's t test were used. Biochemical test: when the cut off level was expressed by the upper limit of normal (ULN), the highest diagnostic sensibility was (table 1): ALT 85.7%, APH 80.9%. AST 71%, bilirubin 65%. When the cut off level was chosen at twice the ULN (Table 1), the sensibility was: ALT 61.9%, bilirubin and AST 47%, APh 30%, Group 2 (Table 2) values higher than the ULN were: AST 42.8%, bilirubin 33%, ALT 19%, APh 14.2%. The differences between the two Groups were statistically significant: APh and bilirubin P less than 0.001, ALT less than 0.05 m AST, NS. Ultrasonography: Group 1: gallstones were detected in 96.6% (58/60). Biliary tree was not visualized in 10 (15.8%), diagnosed as normal in 38 (60.3%) and pathologic (dilatation and/or lithiasis) in 15 (23.8%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)