Lipase Test Levels in Pancreatitis

Lipase Test Levels in Pancreatitis

Lipase is an digestive enzyme that is produced by the pancreas that is used to help in digesting food by breaking up triglycerides into smaller fatty acids which are then used for energy or stored for use later.

With pancreatitis this enzyme is elevated in the blood and it can be tested to help Doctors diagnose pancreatitis.  Symptoms that might be of a pancreatitis such as severe pain in the abdomine, loss of ones appetite, a fever, or even nausea may cause your Doctors to order a lipase test.

Normally lipase is released by the pancreas directly into the small intestines to aid in digesting the food that you eat but it’s also present in your bloodstream in small quantities.  When suffering from a pancreatic attack, those levels will usually rise in the blood then drop back to normal after about 5-7 days.  Most of the time it is a good indicator of how severe a pancreatic attack is.

There are times when Doctors will also order an amylase test even though it is less specific and can be indicative of other problems.

Amylase is a less specific test for pancreatitis than lipase levels which is why many times both tests are run together.  By evaluating the results of both tests Doctors can better diagnose whether or not it is pancreatitis that are the cause of the symptoms.

Blood samples are drawn from the arm to perform both tests.  If the pancreas has been inflamed by either injury or blockage the amount of both enzymes increases in the bloodstream.

When dealing with an acute attack these lipase test levels in pancreatitis,  which would normally be between 3 to 71 units/L, will increase by 10 as much as times or even more.  These concentrations rise within 24 to 48 hours of an attack and then remain high for 5 to 7 days.

However, these lipase test levels in pancreatitis are never perfect indications of pancreatitis since the values will tend to fall as the pancreas is damaged more.   That is why there are other tests including labs, urine analysis, x-rays, MRI’s, and CT scans that are used to make a more accurate diagnosis.

It is important to treat pancreatitis as soon as possible since there are potential serious medical problems that can develop.

Although you can recover from an acute pancreatitis, if treated properly, there is a chance that it can also develop into an ongoing chronic problem that could cause irreversible damage and in extreme cases, even death.

If the pancreas becomes more scarred because of pancreatic problems it could cause diabetes and/or even problems with digesting foods.

Lipase Test Levels in Pancreatitis

This is why lipase test levels in pancreatitis are such an important diagnostic tool for your Doctor.  But it is also important to know that over time with Chronic Pancreatitis, these test levels become less conclusive and you Doctor needs to look at all symptoms including your medical history.

 

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  • My lipase levels only increased in my first acute attack of pancreatitis, ten years ago. Since then the lipase level are near normal or normal every time. I have gastroparesis and diabetes. The diabetes began AFTER several pancreatitis attacks. A EUS was done to diagnose my CP. So I just wanted to state that Lipase levels may not rise even in a very severe attack.

    • This is true in my case as well. My GI Doc says that it is because as the Pancreas becomes more damaged from the attacks the lipase levels are a less reliable way of diagnosing and determining the pain that we are in.

  • In my sons case levels never increase until several days to over acweek in, if at all. So many docs rely too much on these tests

    • I agree with you. One thing that many doctors don't understand is that the longer you have Pancreatitis the less reliable the tests are in indicating how much your pain level is and in telling how inflamed your Pancreas has become.

  • 1/2016
    I had a high lipase count was sent for ct scan,have been on clear diet for almost 7 days see the doctor tomorrow,I have read enough on this to scare me,so I await tomorrow for the results.I have had direaha/sick at stomach & back & left side pain,its a nitemare,plus it all started with a kidney infection that took 3 different kinds of antibiotics to get under control.

    • Sorry that you are getting so beat up. Yes, Pancreatitis is something that you should be concerned about. But in my facebook page there are many people who successfully have lived with it for longer than 17 years. It makes life difficult but treated properly it can be survivable. Hang in there and let me know how you are doing!

    • What kind of antibiotics? Even though I've been diagnosed with Idiopathic Chronic Pancreatitis my GI doctor told me he believes, because he can't find any other reason he believes it all started because I had been hospitalized for an infection 9 days earlier & treated with a very strong IV antibiotic that he told me could cause pancreatitis! The antibiotic was something like and excuse the possible misspelling - Doxycycline.

      • It could be that's what happened. So many times the Doctors are just guessing at the cause even though many always believe you are an alcoholic.

  • My issues started back in 1998 when i had a gallstone that was stuck in the pancreatic duct which then created a pseudocyst, i was hospitalized for 36 days and had TPN for 3 weeks after. I have been having issues ever since, but my GI diagnosed me with IBS because the lipase levels were never as high as they were on the initial attack. I now am having extreme pain almost like my first attack, my lipase was 46 10 days ago and is now at 34. I think this has been a misdiagnosis and has caused a lot of damage to my pancreas, my hope is that i dont become diabetic.

    • Pancreatitis can be a hard disease to properly diagnose - one main reason is that the Lipase level tests can be less and less an accurate diagnostic tool as the Pancreas becomes more damaged. I hope you get through this and start feeling better!

  • My Lipase levels were at 3400. I was told the "norm" was 100. Later, I was told the number should be 0 - or as close to 0 as possible.

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