Serum lipase response to cerulein secretin stimulation test in patients with pancreas-associated diseases as measured by sensitive colorimetric assay (a BALB-DTNB method).

We have compared responsiveness of serum lipase and amylase activity to the pancreatic exocrine stimulation with cerulein and secretin (CS test) in normal subjects and patients with pancreas-related and other diseases. The lipase and amylase activities were measured by a sensitive colorimetric method, the BALB-DTNB method and the Caraway method, respectively. The percentage of positive lipase and amylase response cases was as follows: confirmed chronic pancreatitis (N = 22), 27 and 14%; suspected chronic pancreatitis (N = 37), 46 and 32%; pancreatic cancer (N = 16), 44 and 25%; biliary tract diseases (N = 11), 14 and 14%; miscellaneous (N = 11), 0 and 18%; normal subjects (N = 13), and partial pancreatectomy (N = 5), 0 and 0%, respectively. The serum lipase response cannot be regarded as specific for pancreatic diseases because the lipase response cases were found in biliary tract diseases as well. However, in view of frequent, fast, and intense responsiveness to the CS test, the serum lipase activity measured by the BALB-DTNB method may be more useful than the serum amylase as an auxiliary diagnostic aid for suspected pancreatitis which might develop into confirmed chronic pancreatitis or cancer of the head or body of the pancreas.