Use it

1. Serum Amylase
Muthana Al-Shemeri
Lab. Assistants, Mr Jamal Abdulfattah
Mrs Ferdws

2. amylase [am´ĭ-lās]
An enzyme synthesised in the pancreas and salivary
glands and secreted in the GI tract which digests starch
and glycogen.
Structure

3. α-amylase production
• Amylase is one of several enzymes produced
by the pancreas to help digest carbohydrates.
• Amylase is secreted through the pancreatic
duct into the first part of the small intestine
(duodenum), where it helps break down
dietary carbohydrates. It is also produced by
other organs, particularly the salivary glands.

5. Functions
The main function for this enzyme is catalyzes the
hydrolysis of starch into simpler compounds.
Types
1 - the α-amylases occur in animals.
found in saliva, pancreatic juice, certain bacteria, and mold,
catalyzes the hydrolysis of starches to dextrins, maltose,
and maltotriose.
2 - the β-amylases occur in higher plants.
Found in grains, vegetables and bacteria.
It is involved in the hydrolysis of starch to maltose.

6. Signs and symptoms
• When you have symptoms of a pancreatic
disorder, such as
1- Severe abdominal pain,
2- Fever,
3- Loss of appetite,
or
4- Nausea.

7. Why get tested?
Primarily to diagnose and monitor
Acute pancreatitis,
Chronic pancreatitis
or
Other pancreatic diseases like pancreatic tumor in
rare cases, increased amounts of amylase are
released into the blood.
• This increases concentrations of amylase in the
blood will also present in the urine as amylase
is eliminated from the blood through the urine.

8. Measurement of serum α- amylase
It is measured in patients with suspected pancreatitis:
serum and urine levels peak 4–8 hours after onset of
acute pancreatitis, and normalise within 48–72 hours.
α-amylase activity is an important diagnostic test for
acute and chronic pancreatitis.
• Normal blood findings are 56 to 190 IU/L.

10. α-Amylase readings
High increase:
Acute pancreatitis, severe glomerular dysfunction (low
amylase clearance), pancreatic cancer, acute salivary gland
disease, severe diabetic ketoacidoses.
amylase in the blood often increases to 4 to 6 times higher
than the highest reference value, sometimes called the
upper limit of normal. The increase occurs within 4 to 8
hours of injury to the pancreas and generally remains
elevated until the cause is successfully treated. Then the
amylase values will return to normal in a few days.

11. Moderate increase:
• Abdominal disturbance, salivary gland
disorders.
• In chronic pancreatitis, amylase levels initially
will be moderately elevated but often
decrease over time with progressive pancreas
damage. In this case, levels returning to
normal may not indicate that the source of
damage has been resolved.

12. • Low α-amylase:
• New born up to 1 year (physiological).
• Symptoms of low amylase may indicate
permanent damage to the amylase-producing
cells in the pancreas. Decreased levels can
also be due to kidney disease and toxemia of
pregnancy.

13. Thank you