Hyperamylasemia of Unknown Origin

Abstract

Two patients with persistent hyperamylasemia are described. Case 1 is a 18-year-old female who had repeated hospitalization with a chief complaint of abdominal pain and whose serum amylase level remained abnormally high over four years' period. Macroamylasemia screening test by Sephadex G-100 microcolumn disclosed the existence of amylase of large molecular size (macroamylasemia) in her serum. Case 2 is a 79-year-old female with pronounced hyperamylasemia and hyperamylasemia, associated with metastatic carcinoma of the lung. The metastatic liver nodule contained a pronounced degree of amylase activity which exceeded that in the serum. Ion exchange chromatography further revealed that the mobility pattern of the amylase in the serum and tumor tissue of the patient resembled salivary amylase. Those observations indicate that amylase may be produced ectopically in tumor cells.
It is of great value to use Sephadex G-100 microcolumn as well as DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion exchanger in evaluating persistent hyperamylasemia of unknown origin.