A Study of Serum Amylase and Serum Lipase Activity in Chronic Alcoholics

A case control study was undertaken in a tertiary medical care hospital to find out the significance of measurement of serum amylase and lipase activity as an indicator of chronic alcoholism. Out of total 100 subjects, 50 healthy individuals were taken as control group and 50 cases of chronic alcoholics with clinical manifestations of chronic alcohol abuse were taken as test group. The fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum amylase, serum lipase, and serum gamma glutamyl transferase were estimated by colorimetric methods. The mean serum amylase, serum lipase, and serum gamma glutamyl transferase activities in control group and the test group were found to be 61.64+13.15U/L and 156.14+152.94 U/L; 61.84+14.07U/L and 268.48+175.13 U/L; 38.84+18.01 U/L and 170.5+110.88 U/L respectively with a significance of P<0.001. Mean fasting plasma glucose is found to be lower in the test group compared to the control group though both are within normal reference interval. The study suggests that serum amylase and lipase activities are increased in individuals with history of chronic alcohol abuse compared to normal individuals and can be used as markers of chronic alcoholism along with serum gamma glutamyl transferase activity.