Diseases (67)
Diagnostic Testing (38)

Note:

Note: Rule out pancreatitis.

Note: Rule out pancreatitis.

Note: Rule out fatty liver, pancreatitis.

Note:

Note: Rule out pancreatitis.

Note: Rule out pancreatitis or pancreatic diseases.

Note: Rule out acute pancreatitis.

Note: Evaluate for pancreatitis

Note: Rule out pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer.

Note: Rule out pancreatitis.

Note: Rule out pancreatic diseases.

Note: Decreased in Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome.

Note: Rule out pancreatitits.

Note: Rule out pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer.

Note: Rule out pancreatic disease.

Note: Rule out pancreatitis.

Overview

The enzyme amylase originates in either the pancreas or salivary glands and aids the body’s digestive process. Pancreatic amylase is secreted through the pancreatic duct into the duodenum and its primary function is to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates as a first step in the digestion process. Amylase produced by the salivary glands helps convert starches into complex sugars such as dextrose. Other tissues may also exhibit some amylase activity, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, small and large intestine, liver, placenta and skeletal muscle. Amylase enzyme levels increase when these glands are inflamed or obstructed.

Amylase is usually present in the blood and urine in small quantities. Levels have been shown to increase in blood and urine after pancreatic cell injury (pancreatitis), in pancreatic duct obstructions (gallstones, or rarely with obstruction by pancreatic tumor) and in some genetic disorders that affect pancreatic function such as cystic fibrosis.

The primary use of total serum amylase is in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. In this disorder, serum amylase begins to rise within 2 to 12 hours of onset of symptoms, with peak levels occurring in 12 to 72 hours, and levels returning to normal usually within 4 days. Elevations of 4 to 6 times normal are usual, but some patients show lesser elevation and a few show no elevation. Serum amylase levels do not correlate with the severity of illness and a return to normal is not always an indicator of resolution of illness. In patients with hyperlipidemia the amylase levels may be normal; this can be approached by ultracentrifugation of the specimen or serial dilutions. Amylase is not specific to the pancreas or pancreatitis. Elevated levels can be seen in diseases such as ectopic pregnancy, intestinal diseases, salivary gland disease and mumps.

Clinical Utility

  • In diagnosis of pancreatitis
  • In diagnosis of pancreatic obstructive disease
  • In diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (carcinoma)
  • Evaluation of pancreatic function
  • Aid in diagnosis of cystic fibrosis

Interpretation

Increased in:

  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Obstructive pancreatic disease (cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, stricture, duct sphincter spasm)
  • Pancreatic carcinoma
  • Pancreatic cyst and pseudocyst
  • Bowel obstruction, infarction or perforation
  • Intraabdominal inflammation/ acute abdomen
  • Mumps
  • Parotitis
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis
  • Infected salivary glands
  • Macroamylasemia
  • Renal failure
  • Also slightly elevated in ruptured ectopic pregnancy and macroamylasemia
  • Some drugs can increase levels of amylase, such as azathioprine, alcohol, oral contraceptives, ibuprofen, sulfonamides, furosemide, captopril, corticosteriods and hydrochlorothiazide.

Note: The magnitude of the elevation of serum amylase activity is not related to the severity of pancreatic involvement; however, the greater the rise, the greater the probability of acute pancreatitis.

Decreased in:

  • Pancreatic insufficiency
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Severe liver disease
  • Pancreatectomy
  • Usually normal or low in chronic pancreatitis

Reference Ranges

20–104 U/L (0.34–1.77 ukat/L)

Methodology

Enzymatic/chemiluminescent.

Specimen Collection

Serum (SST). 

Stability

  • Ambient - 3-5 days
  • Refrigerated - 7 days
  • Frozen - 30 days

Additional Testing

Lipase, Amylase Isoenzymes, Bilirubin Direct and Total, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Bile Fluid Examination, Calcium Serum, C-reactive protein, Urine amylase.

CPT
82150$6.48

ICD10
  • AK - Alaska
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Showing results for all states.
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ICD10 CODE AND DESCRIPTIONLCD CODENCD CODE
A06.4 - Amebic liver abscess——
A09 - Infectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified——
A18.31 - Tuberculous peritonitis——
A40 - Streptococcal sepsis——
A40.9 - Streptococcal sepsis, unspecified——
A41 - Other sepsis——
A41.01 - Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus——
A41.02 - Sepsis due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus——
A41.2 - Sepsis due to unspecified staphylococcus——
A41.9 - Sepsis, unspecified organism——
A49.02 - Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site——
A54.85 - Gonococcal peritonitis——
B01 - Varicella [chickenpox]——
B01.9 - Varicella without complication——
B15 - Acute hepatitis A——
B15.9 - Hepatitis A without hepatic coma——
B16 - Acute hepatitis B——
B16.1 - Acute hepatitis B with delta-agent without hepatic coma——
B16.9 - Acute hepatitis B without delta-agent and without hepatic coma——
B17 - Other acute viral hepatitis——
B17.1 - Acute hepatitis C——
B17.10 - Acute hepatitis C without hepatic coma——
B17.2 - Acute hepatitis E——
B17.8 - Other specified acute viral hepatitis——
B17.9 - Acute viral hepatitis, unspecified——
B18 - Chronic viral hepatitis——
B18.0 - Chronic viral hepatitis B with delta-agent——
B18.1 - Chronic viral hepatitis B without delta-agent——
B18.2 - Chronic viral hepatitis C——
B18.8 - Other chronic viral hepatitis——
B18.9 - Chronic viral hepatitis, unspecified——
B19 - Unspecified viral hepatitis——
B19.0 - Unspecified viral hepatitis with hepatic coma——
B19.1 - Unspecified viral hepatitis B——
B19.10 - Unspecified viral hepatitis B without hepatic coma——
B19.11 - Unspecified viral hepatitis B with hepatic coma——
B19.2 - Unspecified viral hepatitis C——
B19.20 - Unspecified viral hepatitis C without hepatic coma——
B19.21 - Unspecified viral hepatitis C with hepatic coma——
B19.9 - Unspecified viral hepatitis without hepatic coma——
B25.1 - Cytomegaloviral hepatitis——
B25.2 - Cytomegaloviral pancreatitis——
B26 - Mumps——
B26.0 - Mumps orchitis——
B26.1 - Mumps meningitis——
B26.2 - Mumps encephalitis——
B26.3 - Mumps pancreatitis——
B26.8 - Mumps with other complications——
B26.81 - Mumps hepatitis——
B26.82 - Mumps myocarditis——

Additional ICD10
  • AK - Alaska
  • AL - Alabama
  • AR - Arkansas
  • AS - American Samoa
  • AZ - Arizona
  • CA - California - Entire State
  • CO - Colorado
  • CT - Connecticut
  • DC - District of Columbia
  • DE - Delaware
  • FL - Florida
  • GA - Georgia
  • GU - Guam
  • HI - Hawaii
  • IA - Iowa
  • ID - Idaho
  • IL - Illinois
  • IN - Indiana
  • KS - Kansas
  • KY - Kentucky
  • LA - Louisiana
  • MA - Massachusetts
  • MD - Maryland
  • ME - Maine
  • MI - Michigan
  • MN - Minnesota
  • MO - Missouri - Entire State
  • MS - Mississippi
  • MT - Montana
  • NC - North Carolina
  • ND - North Dakota
  • NE - Nebraska
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  • NY - New York - Entire State
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  • PR - Puerto Rico
  • RI - Rhode Island
  • SC - South Carolina
  • SD - South Dakota
  • TN - Tennessee
  • TX - Texas
  • UT - Utah
  • VA - Virginia
  • VI - Virgin Islands
  • VT - Vermont
  • WA - Washington
  • WI - Wisconsin
  • WV - West Virginia
  • WY - Wyoming
  • CNMI - Northern Mariana Islands
  • EM - Missouri - Northeastern & Southern
  • WM - Missouri - Northwestern
  • DN - New York - Downstate
  • QN - New York - Queens
  • UN - New York - Upstate
  • NF - California - Northern
  • SF - California - Southern
Showing results for all states.
Filter:
ICD10 CODE AND DESCRIPTIONLCD CODENCD CODE
A06.4 - Amebic liver abscess——
A40.0 - Sepsis due to streptococcus, group A——
A40.1 - Sepsis due to streptococcus, group B——
A40.3 - Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae——
A40.8 - Other streptococcal sepsis——
A40.9 - Streptococcal sepsis, unspecified——
A41.0 - Sepsis due to Staphylococcus aureus——
A41.01 - Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus——
A41.02 - Sepsis due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus——
A41.1 - Sepsis due to other specified staphylococcus——
A41.2 - Sepsis due to unspecified staphylococcus——
A41.3 - Sepsis due to Hemophilus influenzae——
A41.4 - Sepsis due to anaerobes——
A41.5 - Sepsis due to other Gram-negative organisms——
A41.50 - Gram-negative sepsis, unspecified——
A41.51 - Sepsis due to Escherichia coli [E. coli]——
A41.52 - Sepsis due to Pseudomonas——
A41.53 - Sepsis due to Serratia——
A41.54 - Sepsis due to Acinetobacter baumannii——
A41.59 - Other Gram-negative sepsis——
A41.8 - Other specified sepsis——
A41.81 - Sepsis due to Enterococcus——
A41.89 - Other specified sepsis——
A41.9 - Sepsis, unspecified organism——
A49.02 - Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, unspecified site——
A51.45 - Secondary syphilitic hepatitis——
A52.74 - Syphilis of liver and other viscera——
B00.81 - Herpesviral hepatitis——
B01.0 - Varicella meningitis——
B01.1 - Varicella encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis——
B01.11 - Varicella encephalitis and encephalomyelitis——
B01.12 - Varicella myelitis——
B01.2 - Varicella pneumonia——
B01.8 - Varicella with other complications——
B01.81 - Varicella keratitis——
B01.89 - Other varicella complications——
B01.9 - Varicella without complication——
B15.0 - Hepatitis A with hepatic coma——
B15.9 - Hepatitis A without hepatic coma——
B16.0 - Acute hepatitis B with delta-agent with hepatic coma——
B16.1 - Acute hepatitis B with delta-agent without hepatic coma——
B16.2 - Acute hepatitis B without delta-agent with hepatic coma——
B16.9 - Acute hepatitis B without delta-agent and without hepatic coma——
B17.0 - Acute delta-(super) infection of hepatitis B carrier——
B17.1 - Acute hepatitis C——
B17.10 - Acute hepatitis C without hepatic coma——
B17.11 - Acute hepatitis C with hepatic coma——
B17.2 - Acute hepatitis E——
B17.8 - Other specified acute viral hepatitis——
B17.9 - Acute viral hepatitis, unspecified——

References

  • J Clin Pathol. 2006 Apr;59(4):340-4. [PMID: 16567468]
  • J Clin Gastroenterol. 2002;34:459. [PMID: 11907364]
  • Clin Chim Acta. 2005;362:26. [PMID: 16024009]
  • Alan Wu. Tietz Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, Fourth Edition. Saunders; 4 edition (June 13, 2006). ISBN-10: 0721679757