Summary
The clinical features of patients with macroamylasemia are diverse.
A certain correlation between macroamylasemia and the disease of the pancreas or hepato-biliary system may exist, because among 7 patients in this series 4 patients were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis or relapsing pancreatitis and another patient was performed choledochotomy and manipulation of papilla of Vater may had a effect on pancreas.
Among other 2 patients, one was completely symptomless and had no abnormal findings and in another the action of anticancer drugs is suspected.
The course of macroamylasemia is usually chronic but in this series one patient had acute transient macroamylasemia and another one had intermittent macroamylasemia during exacerbations of pancreatitis. The serum amylase levels are mostly 2–4 times above normal with one exception (192 Somogyi units) and urinary amylase values are low with one exception (1922 Somogyi units) during exacerbation of pancreatitis.
Characteristic zymogram of macroamylase on electrophoresis is also reported.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wilding, P., Cooke, W.T. and Nicholson, G.I.: Cause of persistently elevated levels in serum. Ann. Intern. Med., 60: 1053, 1964.
Berk, J.E., Kizu, H., Wilding, P. and Searcy, R.L.: Macroamylasemia: newly recognized cause for elevated serum amylase activity. New Eng. J. Med., 277: 941, 1967.
Levitt, M.D., Goetzl, E.J. and Cooperband, S.R.: Two forms of macroamylasemia. Lancet, 1: 957, 1968.
Bossekert, H., Winnefeld, K. and Seidel, K.: Macro-amylasemia with paraproteinemia and the malabsorption syndrome. Ger. Med. Month., 14: 133, 1969.
Wilding, P., et al.: Macroamylasemia due to protein-bound amylase. Amer. J. Med., 47: 492, 1969.
Berk, J.E., et al.: Macroamylasemia: Clinical and laboratory features. Amer. J. Gastroenterol., 53: 211, 1970.
Ueda, M., et al.: Ultracentrifugal characteristics of macroamylasemia serum. Clin. Chem. Acta., 35: 299, 1971.
Hedger, R.W. and Hardison, W.G.M.: Transient macroamylasemia during an exacerbation of acute intermittent porphyria. Gastroenterology, 60: 903, 1971.
Fridhandler, L., et al.: Macroamylasemia: Rapid Detection Method. Clin, chem., 17: 423, 1971.
Ishii, K.: Macroamylasemia, Naika, 29: 897, 1972. (in Japanese)
Shoji, S., et al.: Macroamylasemia with cerebral thrombosis: Report of a case. J. Jap. Soc. Intern. Med., 61: 1200, 1972. (in Japanese)
Niwayama, S., et al.: A case of Macroamylasemia. J. Jap. Soc. Intern. Med., 61: 1408, 1972. (in Japanese)
Honda, E., et al.: A case of macroamylasemia with respiratory and urinary tract infection. J. Jap. Soc. Intern. Med., 61: 1534, 1972. (in Japanese)
Harada, K., et al.: Macroamylasemia, Naika, 31: 1374, 1973. (in Japanese)
Nakamura, K., et al.: Macroamylasemia, Naika, 31: 1373, 1973. (in Japanese)
Harada, K., et al.: Abnormal zymogram pattern of macroamylasemia. Igaku no ayumi, 90: 789. 1974. (in Japanese)
Zeze, F., et al.: Clinical studies on amylase isoenzyme (2nd Report). Jap. J. Gastroent., 72: 127, 1975. (in Japanese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zeze, F., Nakamura, K., Yoshimori, M. et al. Macroamylasemia: Clinical and laboratory features in 7 patients. Gastroenterol Jpn 10, 255–260 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02776355
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02776355