Lipase activity and properties in serum of chronic alcoholics.

Serum lipase levels are much greater in cases of chronic alcoholics (without any marked symptom of pancreatitis) than in healthy subjects. In fact, about 43 p. cent of the studied samples from alcoholics exhibit a lipase activity above the reference interval (0-160 U/l). On the other hand, the lipase activity present in the serum of alcoholics exhibits different properties than lipoprotein lipase or post-heparin plasma lipase. Furthermore the enzyme from alcoholics presents similar properties to those of the serum lipase released in cases of pancreatitis mainly concerning the sensitivity versus colipase and biliary salt concentration. This similarity with the "pancreatitis" enzyme suggests a pancreatic disorder in number of cases of chronic alcoholics. Therefore, the authors think that serum lipase activity could be taken into account in the evaluation of the risk of any abnormality in the pancreatic function in all alcoholics.