Abstract
Although there is abundant literature on the association of L-asparaginase and acute pancreatitis in patients undergoing chemotherapy, few studies have investigated the usefulness of pancreatic enzyme measurement in the early diagnosis of L-asparaginase-induced acute pancreatitis. We measured levels of serum pancreatic enzymes before, during, and after L-asparaginase therapy in nine children with acute lymphocytic leukaemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Serum levels of amylase, pancreatic isoamylase, and lipase did not change between the 1st and 30th day of L-asparaginase administration. However, the serum trypsin and elastase-1 levels, 10 and 20 days after beginning L-asparaginase therapy, were significantly higher than those prior to therapy.
Conclusion L-asparaginase may induce subclinical pancreatitis and the estimation of serum trypsin and elastase-1 may be useful in the early diagnosis of L-asparaginase-induced acute pancreatitis.
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Received: 15 September 1997 / Accepted in revised form: 15 December 1997
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Shimizu, T., Yamashiro, Y., Igarashi, J. et al. Increased serum trypsin and elastase-1 levels in patients undergoing L-asparaginase therapy. Eur J Pediatr 157, 561–563 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310050878
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310050878