Amylase Quest Labs

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Amylase

Alpha-Amylase Test

Test Overview

An amylase test measures the amount of this enzyme in a sample of blood taken from a vein or in a sample of urine.

Normally, only low levels of amylase are found in the blood or urine. However, if the pancreas or salivary glands become damaged or blocked, more amylase is usually released into the blood and urine. In the blood, amylase levels rise for only a short time. In the urine, amylase may remain high for several days.

Why It Is Done

A test for amylase is done to:

Find pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases. See if the treatment for pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases is working. Check swelling and inflammation of the salivary glands

Alpha-Amylase Test

Results

An amylase test measures the amount of this enzyme in a sample of blood taken from a vein or in a sample of urine. Many conditions can change amylase levels. Your doctor will discuss any significant abnormal results with you in relation to your symptoms and past health.

Results are normally available within 72 hours.

Normal

Amylase

Blood sample:

60–180 units per liter (U/L)*

2-hour urine sample:

6.5–48.1 U/hour*

24-hour urine sample:

Up to 5,000 U/24 hours*

*Values may be slightly increased during normal pregnancy and in older adults.

High values

Values may be high because of:

Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) or cancer of the pancreas. Inflammation of the salivary glands, such as mumps. Blockage of or severe damage to the intestines (bowel infarction). A stomach ulcer that has caused a hole in the stomach wall. Gallstones that are causing pancreatitis. Cystic fibrosis. Pregnancy and diabetic ketoacidosis. A ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Macroamylasemia, an uncommon and harmless condition in which amylase is bound to a protein in the blood. This condition can cause amylase levels to be either high or low.

Low values

Values may be low because of an uncommon and harmless condition called macroamylasemia, severe liver disease, pregnancy, preeclampsia, or advanced cystic fibrosis.

What Affects the Test

Factors that can interfere with your test or the accuracy of the results include:

Medicines, including narcotics such as codeine and morphine, birth control pills, diuretics, indomethacin (Indocin), and blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin (Coumadin) and aspirin. Hepatitis, cirrhosis, or extensive damage to the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis, which may be present even though amylase levels are low. Blood in the urine. If you are a woman who has menstrual periods, you may need to schedule a urine test for amylase when you are not having your period. Drinking a large amount of alcohol before the test. Saliva, which contains large amounts of amylase. Coughing, sneezing, or even talking over an uncovered urine or blood specimen can contaminate the specimen and artificially increase amylase values. Chronic kidney disease, which may cause high levels when the kidneys are no longer able to remove amylase from the blood.

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 Lipase. Occasionally, a test that compares urine amylase with creatinine (a renal clearance ratio) may be done to help diagnose pancreatitis. For more information, see the medical test Creatinine.

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