Serum lipase in acute pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridaemia

The incidence of hypertriglyceridaemic pancreatitis is increasing. Hypertriglyceridaemia may be associated with false lowering of serum amylase and lipase in vitro. A retrospective study of serum lipase levels in 26 individuals who had acute pancreatitis diagnosed based on clinical criteria together with changes on computer tomography in the setting of severe hypertriglyceridaemia over a 5-year period from January 2017 to December 2021 was performed. Serum lipase levels were in the normal range in two patients (7.7%) and less than three times the upper end of the reference interval in 11 individuals (42%). Awareness of the potential for normal and nonsignificantly elevated serum lipase levels in the setting of hypertriglyceridaemic pancreatitis is important to avoid a missed diagnosis, to enable appropriate short- and long-term management and to prevent recurrent episodes.