Abstract
The blood amylase of a number of patients was studied, including a few in which pancreatic disease was suspected from the abnormal amylase findings. In each case the suspicion was verified by the finding of definite pancreatic disease at operation. In 30 patients convalescent from or suffering from other diseases the blood amylase was found to be rather uniform, the values varying between 4, 5 and 6.0 units.
The method used in measuring the amount of amylase in the blood has been described elsewhere 1 and involved the use of the viscosimeter. One variation was found necessary. A new batch of starch was found to yield a more viscous solution, so that to prepare a suitable fluid for use in the viscosimeter a 3% solution was found appropriate instead of 7%, as previously described. The relative values remained unchanged, though comparison between these values and those already published for dogs cannot be made.
The amylase content of the blood in two cases of pancreatic cyst, one case of acute pancreatitis, one case of cancer of the pancreas and one case of chronic pancreatitis was studied. Two of these cases had jaundice. This in itself is incapable of influencing blood amylase, for 5 other cases of jaundice due to common duct obstruction all yielded normal values.
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