[Determination of the catalytic activity of lipase with trilinolein as substrate]

The applicability of the two point test reported by Proelss & Wright ((1977) Clin. Chem. 23, 522-531) for the determination of lipase was investigated. The substrate, trilinolein, is indeed cleaved by pancreatic lipase without interference from liver esterase or cholinesterase; on the other hand, the reported colour reaction gives nonreproducible results. Furthermore, the continuous UV-test showed a lag phase, the duration of which depends on the added catalytic activity. For these reasons the method of Proelss & Wright for the determination of lipase in serum does not give diagnostically useful results.