Enzyme Lipase: What you need to know

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Lipase test is an important test to diagnose pancreatic diseases. So what is lipase enzyme? What is the meaning of Lipase test and what should patients pay attention to before Lipase test? The following article will help answer the above questions.

1. What is Enzyme Lipase?

Lipase enzyme (also called Lipase) is an enzyme produced by the pancreas that converts fats and triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids.
Normally, the pancreas only produces enough lipase enzyme to digest food, Lipase is present in the blood in low concentrations. Normal Lipase value in blood is <67U/L. In the case of pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis, pancreatic stones, pancreatic tumours, etc., the concentration of Lipase in the blood will increase.

2. What is a Lipase test?

Lipase test is used to measure the level of Lipase enzyme in the blood to diagnose and monitor pancreatic diseases. Compared with the amylase test, the Lipase test is more sensitive and specific. When pancreatic diseases appear, Lipase usually increases earlier and the time to return to normal is also longer than amylase.

Enzyme Lipaza — Xét nghiệm Lipase dùng để đo nồng độ enzym Lipaza trong máu

3. When is the Lipase test ordered?

Lipase test is often ordered together with amylase test to diagnose and monitor acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis and other disorders of the pancreas such as pancreatic duct obstruction, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic pseudocyst, ..
In some cases, the test is also used to diagnose and monitor some diseases such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, peritonitis, intestinal infarction, intestinal obstruction,...

4. Lipase increases in which case?

Lipase enzyme is often very elevated in acute pancreatitis, the concentration is usually 5-10 times higher than normal. When the pancreas is acutely inflamed, within 24 hours Lipase levels will increase and continue to increase until day 14; Lipase levels can also be elevated in some other pancreatic diseases such as: pancreatic duct obstruction, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic pseudocyst, chronic recurrent pancreatitis; Other cases of lipase elevation include: acute cholecystitis, peritonitis, acute and chronic renal failure, small bowel obstruction, intestinal infarction, peptic ulcer with perforation, chronic liver disease, alcoholism, a number of cases of intracranial bleeding,...; In addition, Lipase may increase when using some drugs such as morphine, codeine, indomethacin.

5. Lipase decreased in what cases?

Lipase levels drop when the Lipase-producing cells in the pancreas are permanently damaged. Diseases of the pancreas such as cystic fibrosis can cause these lesions.

6. Under what circumstances may Lipase test results change?

Blood samples with broken red blood cells can change the test results; Some drugs that patients use can increase Lipase levels such as paracetamol, indometacin, codeine, corticoids, furosemide, heparin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, antiviral drugs, oral contraceptives, ...

7. Notes when doing Lipase test

The doctor may order a Lipase test when the patient has symptoms such as:
Back pain, abdominal pain spreading to the back, heaviness in the abdomen, when eating fatty foods, the symptoms are worse; Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite.

Lipase test can also be ordered by the doctor continuously for a period of time to determine the increase and decrease of Lipase, thereby evaluating the effectiveness of treatment.
Lipase test is done in the morning. Before the test, the patient must fast for 8-12 hours. The amount of blood taken about 2ml is put in a test tube without anticoagulant or anticoagulant EDTA, lithiheparin. Test results will be available in about 1 hour.

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This article is written for readers from Sài Gòn, Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang, Hạ Long, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng.