Clinical studies of serum phospholipase A₂ immunoreactivity

Abstract

We tested the new radioimmunoassay method of serum phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂). In healthy individuals, serum PLA₂ concentrations were 301±65.6ng/dl (mean±SD), and in patients with acute pancreatitis, significant elevations of serum PLA₂ concentrations were observed. In clinical course of acute pancreatitis, serum PLA₂ was maintained high level more longer than serum amylase and elastase 1. In patients with chronic pancreatitis, serum PLA₂ concentration were low at a stage of severe exocrine dysfunction, and high at a stage of acute exacerbation. In patients with pancreatic cancer, serum PLA₂ concentration were changed in accord with severity of disease states. After endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, serum PLA₂ levels immediately elevated significantly, and returned to basal levels 24 hours later. Serum PLA₂ concentrations were within normal range in patients with other malignant tumors, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver diseases, and hypertension, whereas in patients with chronic renal failure serum PLA₂ concentrations were elevated. These results suggest that measurement of serum PLA₂ can be clinically useful for diagnosis of pancreatitis and monitoring of mild and severe stage of pancreatitis.