The Utility of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Patients with Isolated Elevations in Serum Amylase and/or Lipase
- Author:
Lalitha M SITARAMAN
1
;
Amit H SACHDEV
;
Tamas A GONDA
;
Amrita SETHI
;
John M PONEROS
;
Frank G GRESS
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Endoscopic ultrasound; Endosonography; Pancreatitis; Amylase; Lipase
- MeSH: Abdominal Pain; Academic Medical Centers; Amylases; Bile; Cholecystectomy; Diagnosis; Endosonography; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Lipase; Liver Function Tests; Pancreas; Pancreatic Cyst; Pancreatitis; Pancreatitis, Chronic; Retrospective Studies; Sewage; Ultrasonography
- From:Clinical Endoscopy 2019;52(2):175-181
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in patients with isolated elevated levels of amylase and/or lipase. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted at a large academic medical center from 2000 to 2016. Patients were selected based on having elevated amylase, lipase, or both, but without a diagnosis of pancreatitis or known pancreatobiliary disease. Patients were excluded if they had abnormal liver function tests or abnormal imaging of the pancreas. RESULTS: Of 299 EUS procedures performed, 38 met inclusion criteria. Symptoms were present in 31 patients, most frequently abdominal pain (87%). In 20 patients (53%), initial EUS most commonly found chronic pancreatitis (n=7; 18%), sludge (5; 13%), or new diagnosis of pancreas divisum (3; 8%). In the asymptomatic patients (7), 3 had a finding on EUS, most importantly sludge (2), stone (1), and pancreas divisum (1). No patients were diagnosed with a mass or pancreatic cyst. During the follow up period, 6 patients (22%) had cholecystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: In our study of patients with isolated elevations in amylase and/or lipase without acute pancreatitis who underwent EUS, approximately 50% had a pancreatobiliary finding, most commonly chronic pancreatitis or biliary sludge.
