Serum amylase in chronic kidney disease: An important correlation

BACKGROUND. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasingly prevalent global health concern, with Pakistan experiencing a rising burden of this condition. However, little is known about the relationship between CKD and serum amylase levels in this region. This cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Karachi Institute of Kidney Disease aimed to investigate the association between CKD and serum amylase levels in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. A total of 196 participants, both genders, aged over 25, with CKD diagnosed for at least three months, were included in the study. The study spanned six months, from September 2020 to March 2021. Serum amylase, lipase, and creatinine levels were assessed, and data analysis was performed using “SPSS version 21”.

RESULTS. Results showed that 89.3% of CKD patients had elevated serum amylase levels, irrespective of whether they received hemodialysis, indicating a strong correlation between decreased kidney function and elevated serum amylase. The study also found no significant effect of gender, age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or obesity on serum amylase levels in CKD patients.

CONCLUSION. Understanding this relationship is crucial for healthcare providers to establish appropriate reference ranges for amylase and avoid misdiagnosis. Future studies on a larger scale are necessary to refine reference ranges for amylase and lipase in CKD patients. Ultimately, this research has significant implications for clinical practice, helping clinicians differentiate between CKD-related changes and other conditions when interpreting serum amylase levels in patients with kidney disease.

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