The study suggests an influence of the new diagnostic criteria on the rising AMI trend observed in the early 2000s, an increase of less severe cases and a decreasing trend of forms with a more extended myocardial damage.

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In view of the limited information concerning the influence of aging on exocrine pancreatic function, the authors undertook the present study. To examine a large number of elderly persons, including people of very advanced age (80 years and over), pancreatic function was studied by using the fluorescein dilaurate test (pancreolauryl test), one of the most recent tubeless, noninvasive pancreatic function tests. Sixty healthy noninstitutionalized elderly individuals (35 women and 25 men, aged 66 to 88 years, mean 78) participated in the study. Thirty-six healthy younger subjects (16 women and 20 men, aged 21 to 57 years, mean 36) were also studied as controls. All elderly subjects showed a strictly normal fluorescein dilaurate test. No significant differences in the pancreatic function test results were observed between the elderly under 80 years old and those over 80 years old. The authors conclude that the aging process per se does not significantly affect exocrine pancreatic function and, more particularly, does not impair the digestive capacity of the elderly person.

In 134 consecutive patients with acute abdominal pain, we evaluated the clinical role of a new rapid test for serum lipase based on latex agglutination. The results were compared with those obtained with a widely used lipase immunoassay as well as with serum amylase and pancreatic isoamylase measurements. Fifty-five healthy subjects were studied as controls. In 174 cases (121 patients and 53 controls) the results of the two lipase assays were in agreement. A positive lipase latex test was found in 10 of 12 patients with acute pancreatitis, in eight of 24 patients with other pancreatic diseases, and in 14 of 98 with nonpancreatic diseases. The sensitivity and specifity of this test were similar to those of the other pancreatic enzyme assays performed. The results indicate that the lipase latex agglutination test is useful for emergency screening for acute pancreatitis in patients with acute abdominal pain. Key Words: Acute pancreatitis-Lipase latex test-Lipase ELISA-Amylase and pancreatic isoamylase.Laboratory diagnosis of acute pancreatitis requires simple, rapid, and reliable tests. At present, the most sensitive and specific tests are the measurements of serum pancreatic enzymes, such as pancreatic isoamylase, lipase, trypsin, and elastase (1 -3); however, the majority of these assays are time-consuming and, consequently, unsuitable for emergency use.Recently, a rapid method for semiquantitative determination of serum lipase has been developed (4). This technique, which deals with a n imrnunochemical reaction between lipase and antibodies specific for human pancreatic lipase bound to latex particles, requires no more than 5 min.The objectives of this study were to assess the reliability of the latex test by comparing its results with those of a highly sensitive and specific assay, such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and to ascertain whether it may be useful in the differential diagnosis of acute pancreatic damage in patients with acute abdominal pain. MATERIALS AND METHODSWe studied 134 patients (89 men and 45 women; median age, 54 years; range, 13-87) with acute abdominal pain over a 10-month period. Most of them were admitted to the emergency room at our hospital. In addition, 55 healthy subjects (33 men and 22 women; median age, 56 years; range, 20-89) were examined as controls.Blood samples were withdrawn at admission and lipase was determined by a semiquantitative latex test (RapiTex Lipase, Behringwerke AG, Marburg, F. R. G.) and by quantitative assay using an ELISA technique (Enzygnost Lipase, Behringwerke, A. G.) (5). The latex agglutination test was performed according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Serum samples were mixed with an aqueous suspension of latex particles sensitized with antibodies to pancreatic lipase. Agglutination of latex particles after 5 min was checked. In order to define the 320