The purpose of this work was: a) the prospective study of the prevalence of
hyperamylasemia in 100 patients with chronic
alcoholism; b) the determination of the serum
isoamylase distribution in patients with
hyperamylasemia by an inhibitor assay; c) the search of the origin of elevated serum
isoamylase S. Moderate
hyperamylasemia was found in 15 patients. The importance of
alcohol abuse, the prevalences of
cirrhosis and smokers were not statistically different from those observed in normoamylasemic patients. After one week of hospitalization, serum
amylase was still elevated in 11 of 14 alcoholic patients.
Hyperamylasemia was due to an increase in the
isoamylase P in 5 cases, in the
isoamylase S in 7 cases, and in both forms in 3 cases. Activities of serum
lipase and
isoamylase P were roughly parallel. Only two out of 8 patients with elevated
isoamylase P had
chronic pancreatitis. The salivary origin of elevated
isoamylase S was suspected in only one out of 10 patients. This work shows that the origin of moderate
hyperamylasemia, observed in alcoholic patients, is often extrapancreatic. It is suggested that the dosage of serum
lipase simpler than that of isoamylases, may be routinely used in chronic alcoholic patients for diagnostic purposes.