At a glanceThe testTest infoFAQ
Why get tested?
To diagnose pancreatitis or other pancreatic diseases
When to get tested?
If you have symptoms of pancreatic disease, such as severe abdominal pain, fever, loss of appetite or nausea
Sample required?
A blood sample from a vein in the arm
What is being tested?
Lipase is an enzyme produced mainly by the pancreas. It is released into the digestive tract to help digest fatty foods. It is also important in maintaining cell permeability, i.e. allowing nutrients to enter and waste products to leave easily through the cell membrane
How is it used?
When is it requested?
How is the result interpreted?
Is there anything else I should know?
How is it used?
The lipase test is used to diagnose pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas) and other diseases of the pancreas. It is also used to a lesser extent in the diagnosis and follow-up of cystic fibrosis, coeliac disease and Crohn’s disease.
When is it requested?
A blood lipase test may be requested if you have symptoms of pancreatic disease, such as severe abdominal pain, fever, loss of appetite or nausea.
How is the result interpreted?
Normal values for lipase depend on the test used to measure it. In acute pancreatitis, lipase levels are very high, 2 to 5 times the normal value. Slightly high lipase values can occur in other diseases such as kidney disease, inflammation of the salivary glands or peptic ulcer. Occasionally high lipase is due to a tumour (cancer). A rapid, marked rise in blood lipase within hours of the start of an attack, and a fall within about 4 days, usually indicate acute pancreatitis.
Is there anything else I should know?
In acute pancreatitis, high lipase levels usually run parallel to the levels of another enzyme called amylase, but remain high for longer (5 to 7 days).
Lipase and amylase are usually requested together to diagnose acute pancreatitis. Both can also be used to monitor chronic pancreatitis. Both may be moderately raised in chronic pancreatitis, and/or levels may fall if the cells in the pancreas that produce amylase and lipase are damaged or destroyed.
Low lipase values are often associated with diabetes. (If the body does not digest fats well, this interferes with insulin metabolism and the transport of glucose into cells.)
People who are lipase-deficient may also have high cholesterol and/or high triglycerides in the blood, high blood pressure, difficulty losing weight and varicose veins. Medicines that can interfere with maintaining correct lipase levels include codeine, indometacin, morphine and medicines containing hydrochloric acid
1. What are the treatment options for pancreatitis?
2. What are the long-term consequences of pancreatitis?
3. Do high lipase values always mean pancreatic disease?
1. What are the treatment options for pancreatitis?
Treatment depends on the symptoms. If there are none, or they are mild, no treatment is needed. If they are more severe, the doctor may suggest “resting the pancreas” through a range of options, from not eating solid food to fasting with replacement fluids for several days to a few weeks (usually requiring a hospital stay). Medicines and possibly surgery may also be considered for patients with very severe symptoms. Pain medicines are sometimes needed. Nutritional support, such as a low-fat diet and frequent small meals, can help relieve symptoms. Oral pancreatic enzyme replacement is also a possible option.
2. What are the long-term consequences of pancreatitis?
Acute pancreatitis usually causes no long-term damage, and there are often no further problems. Chronic pancreatitis, which can occur as a series of acute attacks or as a continuous disorder, can cause permanent damage. As the pancreas becomes scarred, some people develop diabetes and/or become unable to digest food, especially fats. A lack of normal pancreatic enzymes can affect food digestion and waste production, causing abdominal pain, fatty stools and the formation of stones in the pancreas. Even if the disease is controlled, the damage done is often irreversible. If the disease progresses, it can be fatal.
3. Do high lipase values always mean pancreatic disease?
In pancreatitis, lipase rises rapidly but starts to fall within about 4 days. In other diseases the rise is usually not so marked, and the high level is maintained for a long time. Your doctor is best placed to determine whether you have a pancreatic disease, based on your symptoms, medical history and test results