Amylase
(AMS)

Sample type:

Serum preferred or plasma lithium heparin, random urine sample, 24-hour urine sample.

Uses:

• An amylase blood test is used to diagnose or monitor a problem with your pancreas, including pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.

• An amylase urine test may be ordered along with or after an amylase blood test. Urine amylase results can help diagnose pancreatic and salivary gland disorders.

• One or both types of tests may be used to help monitor amylase levels in people who are being treated for pancreatic or other disorders.

Precautions:

• fast for eight to 12 hours. That means you shouldn’t eat or drink anything besides water.

• need to avoid exercise for a few hours after a blood test.

• There are no specific instructions after a urine test.

• You may have to avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test.

Interference:

• Serum lipemia May factitiously decrease amylase levels.

• Intravenous dextrose solutions

• Can lower amylase levels and cause a false-negative result.

• Drugs that may cause increased serum levels

• Aminosalicylic acid, aspirin, azathioprine, corticosteroids, dexamethasone, ethyl alcohol, glucocorticoids, iodine-containing contrast media, loop diuretics (e.g., furosemide), methyldopa, narcotic analgesics, oral contraceptives, and prednisone.

• Drugs that may cause decreased levels

• Citrates, glucose, and oxalates.

Pre-analytical errors:

. use oxalate, EDTA, or citrate plasma.

The corrective action:

The sample must be rejected and another sample obtained.

Post analytical errors:

Delay in reporting.

The corrective action:

send result immediately after finished from test.

Reference range:

in a blood sample, the range is about 30 to 110 U/L (units per liter).

In a urine sample, the range is 2.6 to 21.2 international units per hour (IU/h).