Relationship between pancreatic enzymes and pathological changes in the pancreas in acute pancreatitis. The significance of determination of serum deoxyribonuclease.

To clarify the relationship between changes in serum pancreatic enzymes and pathological changes in pancreatic parenchyma, this study was performed by using rat models with acute pancreatitis. The models were rats with edematous and necrotizing pancreatitis. Amylase, lipase, ribonuclease (RNase), and deoxyribonuclease (DNase I, II) in the serum were determined for 48 h after the development of pancreatitis. Amylase and lipase levels rose directly in both pancreatitis groups. These enzymes in the necrotizing pancreatitis group were higher than those in the edematous pancreatitis group, but there was no significant difference. RNase levels also rose markedly, but there was no obvious difference between either of the pancreatitis groups. On the other hand, DNase levels were high in the necrotizing pancreatitis group but low in the edematous pancreatitis group, with significant differences between the two groups, especially in the DNase II levels over a 36-h period (p less than 0.05-0.01). Therefore, these results suggest that serum DNase levels reveal the necrotizing changes in pancreatic parenchyma.