Diagnosis | Lipase increased

Diagnosis

An elevated lipase level is not in itself a diagnosis. It is only a blood value that is not within the normal range. This can have many causes, from a mistake in the measurement method in the laboratory, to acute pancreatitis. It is best to have your lipase value determined by a doctor only if there is really a reason for it: Suspicion of acute pancreatitis, monitoring the course of chronic pancreatitis or unclear upper abdominal pain. The diagnosis of the most common cause, acute pancreatitis, should be clarified by further diagnostics (imaging, for example, by ultrasound).

These symptoms indicate an increased lipase level

Since the cause of elevated lipase varies, it is not possible to name general symptoms, but it is necessary to look at the individual clinical pictures that cause elevated lipase. Acute pancreatitis is accompanied by belt-shaped, severe upper abdominal pain. Patients complain of a distended abdomen, nausea and vomiting.

Fever may also be present. With intestinal obstruction, patients lose their appetite, vomit and feel full. This leads to seizure-like pain and stool retention.

Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, cause abdominal pain, blood loss, which can lead to anemia, diarrhea, abscesses, fever and underweight. These are systemic diseases, other parts of the body such as the eyes, skin, joints and heart can also be affected. In the case of biliary colic, one has cramp-like, often right-sided upper abdominal pain, often fever, a slight jaundice and vomiting. However, as mentioned above, an elevated lipase level can also be completely symptom-free and have no disease value.

Prognosis

If the elevated lipase level is due to acute pancreatitis, the patient has a serious disease. Approximately 1% of patients die from a correctly treated inflammation that is free of complications. If complications such as the dying off of pancreatic tissue, an encapsulated suppurative focus (abscess) or blood poisoning are added, the prognosis is poor.

Up to every 4th patient dies of the disease. To assess the risk of death, doctors use a scale, the so-called Ranson-Score. Quick action is an important factor in acute pancreatitis.