Pancreatic Elastase - Use As Diagnostic

Use As Diagnostic

The use of Pancreatic Elastase 1 (E1) in Laboratories to Diagnose Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Human pancreatic elastase 1 (E1) remains undegraded during intestinal transit. Therefore its concentration in feces reflects exocrine pancreatic function. During an inflammation of the pancreas, E1 is released into the bloodstream. Thus the quantification of pancreatic elastase 1 in serum allows diagnosis or exclusion of acute pancreatitis.

Main indications:

• Diagnosis/exclusion of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency caused by e.g. Chronic Pancreatitis, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes Mellitus, Cholelithiasis (Gallstones), “Failure to Thrive”, Pancreatic Cancer, Papillary Stenosis
• Follow-up monitoring of patients with mild or moderate pancreatic insufficiency
• Diagnosis/exclusion of pancreatic involvement in association with gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain or osteoporosis, for example.

Method of detection:

• Sandwich ELISA with two monoclonal antibodies highly specific for human pancreatic elastase 1
• The ELISA kit is based on a microtiter plate (96 well format) with 12 breakable single strips x 8 wells suitable for up to 42 samples in duplicate

Reference concentration: For adults and children after the first month of life

• Values > 200 µg elastase/g stool indicate normal exocrine pancreatic function

Values < 200 µg elastase/g stool indicate exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.