Serum Pancreatic Enzyme Concentrations in Chronic Viral Liver Diseases

Serum amylase and lipase concentrations weredetermined in 78 patients with chronic liver diseases[26 chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and 52 livercirrhosis] and in 15 healthy subjects. Pancreaticisoamylase concentrations and macroamylase complexes wereassayed in hyperamylasemic sera. Serum amylase levelswere abnormally elevated in 27 patients (35%; 22 livercirrhosis, 5 CAH), whereas serum lipase levels were elevated in 16 patients (21%; 15 livercirrhosis, 1 CAH). In 9 of the 27 hyperamylasemicpatients, the hyperamylasemia was of pancreatic type.Macroamylasemic complexes were not detected inhyperamylasemic sera. Patients with liver cirrhosis had serumlevels of amylase and lipase significantly higher thanboth the healthy subjects and the patients with CAH,while no significant differences were found in serum levels of these enzymes in patients with CAH ascompared to the healthy subjects. A decreased livermetabolism of serum amylase and lipase in patients withchronic infective liver disease, especially in those having liver cirrhosis, may lead to anaccumulation of these enzymes in the blood.