HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Amylase
What To Think About
- Pancreatitis usually causes levels of amylase in the urine to remain high for several days longer than blood amylase levels.
- Babies have little or no amylase at birth. By the end of the first year, a baby's amylase level is the same as an adult's level.
- Lipase is an enzyme produced only by the pancreas. A lipase test may be done at the same time as an amylase test when pancreatitis is suspected. For more information, see the medical test Reference Lipase.
- Occasionally, a test that compares urine amylase with Reference creatinine Opens New Window (a renal clearance ratio) may be done to help diagnose pancreatitis. For more information, see the topic Reference Creatinine.
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