The Myths and Facts about Serum Amylase and Lipase

alone for the diagnosis of AP.Likewise, the British Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Clinical Biochemistry Society recommend serum lipase for the diagnosis of AP. 6 American Gastroenterology College suggests not measuring both serum amylase and lipase. 7The American Society of Clinical Pathology recommends discontinuing testing for serum amylase levels.Overall, serum lipase offers a larger diagnostic window and is more specific, sensitive, and cost-effective for diagnosing AP.Many guidelines and authors prefer lipase for this purpose, and ordering only lipase can be more economical.Testing for both enzymes can lead to additional tests, prolonged hospitalization, and increased financial burden on patients.The severity of pancreatitis does not necessarily correlate with the degree of elevation in serum enzymes.Serial measurements of enzymes are not useful for monitoring disease or guiding treatment.Testing both enzymes only marginally improves diagnostic accuracy.Therefore, from our perspective, testing for both serum amylase and lipase for diagnosing AP is unnecessary and contributes unnecessarily to financial costs.