Determination of renal clearances of amylase/creatinine with chromogenic and enzymatic methods

Urinary amylase was estimated by chromogenic (amylochrome Roche) as well as enzymatic methods (SKI and Beckman: substrate starch and substrate maltotetraose respectively). Random and timed urines (24 hour collections) were analysed. Clearances of amylase gave different results dependent upon the amylase-test used and the glomerular filtration rate. Correlation between chromogenic and enzymatic methods (starch as substrate) was poor. The ratio of amylase and creatinine clearance was used to test different methods. Reference values for this ratio for the amylochrome method (N = 106) were 2.85 +/- 0.99% and for the Beckman-DS method (N = 60) 2.82 +/- 0.87%.