On the quantitation of Iso-amylases in serum and the diagnostic value of serum pancreatic type amylase in chronic pancreatitis.

The object of this study is to elucidate whether the quantitative determination of serum pancreatic type iso-amylase can be used as a diagnostic test for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. We describe the normal appearance of serum amylase zymograms produced with an agarose electrophoresis technique and the reference values from studies of 142 normal subjects for salivary and pancreatic type amylases. The patient group comprises 95 cases assumed to be representative of a patient population in which verification or exclusion of a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis is of importance. In this group exocrine pancreatic function has been assessed by means of the Lundh meal test. We find that a low serum pancreatic type amylase value indicates the presence of a reduced exocrine pancreatic function (p = 0.96), and that a normal or elevated serum pancreatic type amylase value excludes the presence of a severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (p = 0.91). We also describe the occurrence of an abnormal amylase fraction which may be of diagnostic significance in pancreatic disease.