Serum pancreatic stone protein (PSP) was determined in sera of pancrea
tic and nonpancreatic diseases using enzyme immunoassay specific to hu
man PSP to study the diagnostic and pathophysiological significance of
PSP. Serum PSP in acute pancreatitis (mean +/- SD = 1075.4 +/- 2849.1
ng/mL, n = 33) was significantly higher than that in controls (78.6 /- 31.8 ng/mL, n = 37, p < 0.01), chronic pancreatitis (156.8 +/- 82.8
ng/mL, n = 32, p < 0.05), and pancreatic cancer (148,468.8 ng/mL, n =
26, p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between noncalcifi
ed and calcified chronic pancreatitis. Serum PSP levels were significa
ntly higher in chronic renal failure under hemodialysis (1796.0 +/- 14
92.9 ng/mL) than in other diseases such as peptic ulcer, liver cirrhos
is, gallstone, and diabetes mellitus. Low but significant correlation
was obtained between serum PSP and serum immunoreactive trypsin (r = 0
.22, p < 0.05). Increased serum PSP levels in acute pancreatitis and c
hronic renal failure suggest that serum PSP levels reflect reflux from
pancreatic secretion, release from damaged pancreatic acinar cells, o
r retention in circulation, and can be useful for diagnosis of acute p
ancreatitis, but not chronic calcified pancreatitis.