Screening for acute pancreatitis: a rapid assay for plasma lipase.

A simple agglutination test for plasma immunoreactive lipase has been evaluated in 101 patients. A positive agglutination reaction was observed if, and only if, plasma lipase exceeded 300 micrograms/l. The test was positive in all 23 patients with acute pancreatitis who were tested on the day of admission to hospital, in one patient with a pancreatitic pseudocyst and in one patient with hyperamylasaemia and hyperlipasaemia due to a perforated duodenal ulcer. The simplicity and reliability of this test make it suitable as an urgent diagnostic investigation for acute pancreatitis.