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Lipase in the blood
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Reference values (norm) of lipase activity in serum are 0-190 IU / l.
Lipase is an enzyme that catalyzes the cleavage of glycerides into glycerol and higher fatty acids. This enzyme in the human body is produced by a number of organs and tissues, which makes it possible to distinguish between lipase of gastric origin, pancreas, lung lipase, intestine, leukocytes, etc. The most important from a clinical point of view is pancreatic lipase.
Pancreatic lipase plays a major role in the digestion of fats. Since the main source of lipase is the pancreas, with its diseases there is a significant release of the enzyme into the circulating blood.
Determination of lipase activity in the blood is considered the most informative criterion for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. There is a misconception that in acute pancreatitis, the lipase content in the blood increases later than the amylase, but it remains elevated for a longer time. In fact, lipase activity increases and decreases in parallel with an increase and decrease in amylase activity, but the normalization of its level occurs later than amylase. Sometimes the activity of lipase in the blood rises earlier than amylase, and remains elevated for a long time.
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