Which two laboratory tests are indicated to confirm a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis?

Which two laboratory tests are indicated to confirm a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis?

• A. Serum lipase and amylase
• B. Serum lipase and alanine aminotransferase
• C. Serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase
• D. Creatinine and BUN

Answer: (A)

Acute pancreatitis is diagnosed when there is typical abdominal pain along with elevated pancreatic enzymes in the blood. The two tests used to confirm this are serum lipase and amylase. Lipase is more specific to pancreatic injury and stays elevated longer than amylase, making it a reliable indicator. Amylase also rises with pancreatitis but can be elevated in other conditions, so having both enzymes elevated provides stronger confirmation. The other test pairs don’t specifically indicate pancreatitis: bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase point to biliary or liver issues, while creatinine and BUN assess kidney function.

Acute pancreatitis is diagnosed when there is typical abdominal pain along with elevated pancreatic enzymes in the blood. The two tests used to confirm this are serum lipase and amylase. Lipase is more specific to pancreatic injury and stays elevated longer than amylase, making it a reliable indicator. Amylase also rises with pancreatitis but can be elevated in other conditions, so having both enzymes elevated provides stronger confirmation. The other test pairs don’t specifically indicate pancreatitis: bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase point to biliary or liver issues, while creatinine and BUN assess kidney function.