Kidney ageing and renal excretion of amylase.

In a cross-sectional study, the amylase to creatinine clearance ratio (ACCR) was determined in 180 patients, age range 18-93 years. An inverse correlation was found between ACCR and creatinine clearance (r = -0.40, p less than 0.001) in keeping with the known inverse relationship between the sieving fraction of macromolecules and the glomerular filtration rate. The fractional clearance of amylase was not significantly affected by amylasemia nor by age when the creatinine clearance was also considered in a multiple regression analysis. No increase in ACCR was observed in patients with low molecular weight proteinuria or with induced urine dilution. The authors assume that the tubular reabsorption of amylase is minimal and that the enhancement of ACCR in the elderly mainly reflects modifications in the glomerular filtration dynamics.