Significant Elevations in Serum Lipase in the Emergency Department: When It is Not Pancreatitis!

To the Editor. Serum lipase levels are widely and exclusively used in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, as it is a central component of the Revised Atlanta Criteria. Significant elevations in serum lipase can however be found in association with other pathologies, without evidence of pancreatitis. The purpose of this short report is to provide a brief overview of the potential etiologies behind significant elevations in serum lipase levels in a tertiary care center in Lebanon. Using a retrospective cross-sectional study design conducted at the Emergency Department (ED) of the American University of Beirut Medical Center, we reviewed 4,967 cases of adult patients (age> 18) who visited the ED during a one-year period between January 1 and December 31, 2016, and had a serum lipase ordered.

Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - November 17, 2019 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Karine Kahil, Maan El Halabi, Halim Bou Daher, Luma Basma O. Rustom, Majd Marrache, Yervant Ichkhanian, Mazen El Sayed, Ala I. Sharara Source Type: research