A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF SERUM PANCREATIC ELASTASE-1 IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF ACUTE-PANCREATITIS

Background: Serum amylase gives a poor estimate of both the true incid ence and the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods: We evaluate d serum pancreatic elastase-l (PE-1) prospectively in 567 patients in whom AP was suspected. In established AP, severity was assessed using the Glasgow Criteria, and C-reactive protein, amylase, and serum PE-1 were evaluated over 5 days. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic efficiency of serum PE-1 were 0.66, 0.85, and 0.84, respec tively. The diagnostic accuracy of serum PE-1 was 0.80, and that of am ylase 0.97. Serum PE-1 did not correlate with disease severity or the development of complications, but it fell more slowly than the serum a mylase in the week after admission. Conclusions: The serum PE-I level correlated closely with the serum amylase but conferred no benefit as a diagnostic test, nor did it provide further prognostic information.