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Abstract |
Diagnostic Value of the Pancreatitis-Associated Protein in Patients with Abdominal Complaints |
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The diagnostic value of the pancreatitis-associated protein was investigated in 3 different groups of patients. In the fÏrst group serum concentrations of lipase, amylase, elastase, C-reactive protein (CRP) and pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) were determined in patients with proven pancreatitis. The serum enzymes decreased continuously during the course of disease whereas CRP and PAP increased. The maximum levels of CRP were reached after 3 to 4 days, those of PAP after 6 to 7 days. Serum samples were also obtained from 253 patients with acute abdominal complaints. Pancreatitis was diagnosed when the lipase concentration at hospital admission was more than threefold above the normal range. The ROC curves of these patients showed that PAP was a more reliable predictive parameter of pancreatitis than lipase in samples taken more than 3 days after the onset of pain. In a third a group of 634 hospitalized patients elevated values were found in chronic inflammatory bowel disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. From these findings we conclude that PAP measurement is meaningful if the onset of the complaints dates back several days. For this reason, PAP measurement is of particular importance in patients with recurrent and so far unexplained abdominal pain. |
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