Elevated liver enzymes normal?

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if elevated liver enzymes along with a flare of

pancreatitis is common? What could be the cause of this? This

seems to happen every time I have an attack of CP. --Kim

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

My liver enzymes have been elevated every time i have had an attack too.

Sue

[Guest guest]

Well I wouldn't say that elevated liver enzymes are normal......but

there are cases when the elevations are only slightly above the

cut-off value that are considered normal depending on the

person's age, sex, weight, etc. The common rule of thumb is

that anything above 1.5 to 2 times normal is considered

significant. So anything that is only slightly above normal are not

too alarming (unless there are other symptoms and signs that

suggest a disease process is going on).

Now as far as how the pancreas can affect this.......Basically if

the liver enzymes go up it is indicating that the flow of bile is

being interupted in some way. From the pancreas point of view, it

can be a pseudocyst or general inflammation that is impinging

on the common bile duct and cutting off the flow either gradually

or completely in an intermittent manner. The common bile duct

as well as the other duct that comes from the left lobe of the liver

passes through the pancreas and so any inflammation there

can cause the bile flow to be affected. Another way that the

pancreas can be involved indirectly is with SOD - when the

sphincter is not functioning correctly, it can stop bile flow and

interrupt pancreas juice flow so you can have both

problems....liver inflammation and pancreas. This isn't a direct

cause and effect but rather an association. I am not sure how

common it is with pancreas, but it is not so rare either. The

problem is that they fluctuate so quickly that it is rare to catch

them going up, unless it is a gradual compression of the

common bile duct and you become jaundiced along with the

pain. But if it is an intermittent occurence from SOD or quick

inflammation and resolution, then by the time you are seen at the

doctor for lab tests, the values may have become normal again.

In my case, if blood is drawn within 24 hours of a particularly

severe atttack, the elevations are detected...but after 48 hours I

am usually normal.

Hope this helps explain a little. I am sure that there are other

ways that both pancreas and liver interact to produce abnormal

values but these are the two things that come to my mind off

hand......

Laurie