Serum Amylase in Hyperglycemia after Peroral and Intravenous Administration of Glucose

Abstract

Jacobson, G. & Hedstrand, H. 1973. Serum Amylase in Hyperglycemia after Peroral and Intravenous Administration of Glucose. Scand. J. Gastroent. 8, 75-79.

The simultaneous recording of blood glucose and amylase levels after an induced hyperglycemia has been called the ‘gluco-amylase-test’ by Ermini. In normal persons a parallel increase is said to occur, while patients with pancreatic insufficiency lack such parallelism. We have performed 34 intravenous glucose tolerance tests in 50-year-old normal men, and found a slight but significant decrease of the amylase activity. In 11 subjects both intravenous and peroral glucose tolerance tests have been performed. With both types of loading there was the same decrease in amylase activity. In view of these data and similar results published by others, the background for the ‘gluco-amylase-test’ must be questioned.

Key-words::

• Amylase
• enzyme tests
• glucose tolerance test
• hyperglycemia
• pancreas
• pancreatic diseases
• pancreatitis