A patient has the following laboratory results: GLU 10.0 mmol/L, AMY 400 U/L, LIP 500 U/L, TRIG 2.1 mmol/L. What is the likely diagnosis?

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Multiple Choice

A patient has the following laboratory results: GLU 10.0 mmol/L, AMY 400 U/L, LIP 500 U/L, TRIG 2.1 mmol/L. What is the likely diagnosis?

Pancreatic enzyme elevation signals pancreatic inflammation or injury. Here, both amylase and lipase are markedly elevated (amylase 400 U/L, lipase 500 U/L), which is a classic finding in pancreatitis because injured pancreatic acinar cells release these enzymes into the blood. The elevated glucose can occur with pancreatitis as a stress response or from underlying diabetes, but it isn’t specific for another disease. Triglycerides are only mildly high; hypertriglyceridemia-caused pancreatitis usually requires much higher TG levels. So the pattern of elevated pancreatic enzymes with relatively non-specific other abnormalities best supports pancreatitis.

Pancreatic enzyme elevation signals pancreatic inflammation or injury. Here, both amylase and lipase are markedly elevated (amylase 400 U/L, lipase 500 U/L), which is a classic finding in pancreatitis because injured pancreatic acinar cells release these enzymes into the blood. The elevated glucose can occur with pancreatitis as a stress response or from underlying diabetes, but it isn’t specific for another disease. Triglycerides are only mildly high; hypertriglyceridemia-caused pancreatitis usually requires much higher TG levels. So the pattern of elevated pancreatic enzymes with relatively non-specific other abnormalities best supports pancreatitis.

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