• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the incidence, associated factors and clinical impact of hyperamylasemia in self-poisoning patients. Methods: This study was based on a toxicology case registry of patients treated from 2009 to 2013 at a tertiary care university hospital. We retrospectively investigated the demographics, clinical variables, laboratory variables and intoxicants. Hyperamylasemia was defined as an elevation in serum amylase level to above the upper normal limit within 24 hours after admission. We analyzed the predisposing factors and clinical outcomes of patients in the hyperamylasemia group. Results: Hyperamylasemia was identified in 49 (13.3%) of the 369 patients. Using multivariate logistic regression, the odds ratios for HA were 3.384 (95% confidence interval, 1.142-8.013, p=0.014), 3.261 (95% confidence interval, 1.163-9.143, p=0.025) and 0.351 (95% confidence interval, 0.154-0.802, p=0.013) for pesticides, multi-drug use and sedatives, respectively. In the hyperamylasemia group, the peak amylase levels during 72 hours were correlated with the peak lipase levels (r=0.469, p=0.002) and peak aspartate aminotransferase levels (r=0.352, p=0.013). Finally, none of these patients had confirmed acute pancreatitis. Conclusion: Hyperamylasemia occurred rarely in these self-poisoning patients, and pesticide and multi-drug use were independent predictors of hyperamylasemia. Peak amylase levels were correlated with the peak lipase and aspartate aminotransferase levels.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.661-668
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• 1997

The majority of lung cancers associated with hyperamylasemia are adenocarcinomas. Here we report an unusual case of a 54-year-old male patient who complained of dyspnea, anterior chest wall discomfort and facial edema for one month, presenting with a huge mediastinal mass and hyperamylasemia complicated by pericardial effusion. Histological evaluation of mediastinal mass revealed small cell carcinoma and pericardium showed nonspecific inflammation with fibrosis. The serum amylase had an electrophoretic mobility similar to that of salivary gland enzyme. There were no evidence of a salivary or pancreatic causes of hyperamylasemia. After chemotherapy, parenchymal lung lesions improved and hyperamylasemia disappeared. For the management of pericardial effusion, a pericardial window was formed. We concluded that the striking increase in serum amylase was due to the ectopic production of this enzyme by the tumor.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.674-678
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• 2005

A 78-year-old man was admitted to our hospital as a result of dyspepsia with a 2-month duration. Upon admission, the laboratory data showed a marked elevation in amylase activity in both the serum and urine. The pancreas and salivary glands were considered unlikely to have any clinical involvement in the hyperamylasemia. The chest PA revealed a right side pleural effusion, and the chest CT showed a heterogeneous enhancing mass on the subcarinal area. The patient was diagnosed bronchoscopically with a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The amylase isoenzyme patterns indicated the salivary types, but lung cancer was strongly suspected to be the source. In most cases, lung cancers with hyperamylasemia have been diagnosed as adenocarcinomas. A squamous cell carcinoma is quite rare. We report an interesting case of squamous cell lung cancer with hyperamylasemia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.655-661
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• 2000

Backgound: This study was performed to evaluate the incidences, the risk factors, and the clinical course of the hyperamylasemia in patients who underwent open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass. Material and Method: Thirty seven patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass were studied at Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, from July 1997 to June 1998. The thirty seven patients were divided into two groups, 13 patients in group I had normal serum amylase levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Result: Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels and 24 patients in group II had hyperamylasemia. Result: Mean serum amylase(IU/l) levels of gorup II showed 54.3$\pm$4.6, 78.0$\pm$9.2, 372.0$\pm$103.4, 460.5$\pm$80.4, 280.4$\pm$46.6, and 131.0$\pm$15.6, preoperative, immediate postoperative, at postoperative 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, respectively. In group II, serum amylase level of the postoperative day 2 was the highest and was significantly higher than that of the preoperative day(p<0.001). Serum amylase level started to decreased at postoperative day 3 and returned to the normal level at postoperative day 7. Significant clinical symtoms of overt pancreatitis were not shown in patients in group II. The following perioperative variable such as diagnosis, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross clamping time, mean systemic pressure during bypass, and administration of steroid were compared between groups. There were no significant differences between groups. In all patients, Serum amylase level of postoperative day 2 and aortic cross clamping time were correlated significantly(p=0.047). Conclusion: Serum amylase level after cardiopulmonary bypass could be elevated postoperatively and serum amylase level of POD 2 was considered to have significant correlation with aortic cross clamping time. Shortening of aortic cross clamping time will help in reducing the hyperamylsemia. In this study, although significant clinical symptoms and overt pancreatitis were not seen from hyperamylsemic patients, careful clinical observation of hyperamylasemia would be necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.1283-1285
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• 2009

Macroamylasemia is a benign condition characterized by abnormally large-sized serum amylase; it has been reported to occur in 1-2% of the population. In macroamylasemia, a macromolecular complex consisting of amylase linked to immunoglobulins circulates in the plasma and usually causes hyperamylasemia with low or normal amylasuria. Macroamylasemia is extremely rare in children. We report a case of a 4-year-old girl with abdominal pain and macroamylasemia, who was initially misdiagnosed as having acute pancreatitis. Failure to immediately identify macroamylase as the cause of the unexplained but benign hyperamylasemia can lead to the misdiagnosis of the condition, necessitating costly analyses for ruling out pancreatic disease and unnecessary prescriptions such as fasting and intravenous replacement therapies, as was observed in our patient.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.166-169
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• 2006

Poisonings caused by 'mad honey' are known to occur in response to grayanotoxins, which bind to sodium channels in the cell membrane, increasing membrane sodium permeability and preventing inactivation. Mild symptoms of mad honey intoxication are dizziness, weakness, hypersalivation, nausea, vomiting, and paresthesia. Severe intoxication, however, leads to serious cardiac manifestations such as atrioventricular block, dose-dependent hypotension, bradycardia, and respiratory depression. Atropine and vasoactive drugs improve symptoms of both bradycardia and respiratory rate depression. We report an unusual case of saliva-type hyperamylasemia in a mad honey poisoning patient who developed clinically significant bradycardia. She recovered fully within 3 days following atropine administration and medical treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1995

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.629-635
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• 1998

It has been suggested that oxygen free radicals are involved in the initiation process of acute pancreatitis, although its pathogenesis is not clear. This study evaluates the roles of oxygen radicals and the effects of small molecular antioxidants (rebamipide, N-acetyl-cysteine, allopurinol, ${\beta}-carotene)$ on the development of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. Acute edematous pancreatitis was induced by the intravenous infusion of cerulein at supramaximal dose of 10 ${\mu}g/kg/hour$ for 3.5 hours. The effects of antioxidants, rebamipide (100 mg/kg, i.p.), N-acetyl-cysteine (200 mg/kg, i.v.), allopurinol (20 mg/kg/hour), ${\beta}-carotene$ (50 mg/kg, i.p.), were examined. Cerulein administration resulted in a significant increase in serum amylase activity and pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA), but not glutathione peroxidase (GSHpx). The glutathione (GSH) content in pancreatic tissue decreased dramatically. Pretreatment of N-acetyl-cysteine significantly decreased the cerulein-induced hyperamylasemia and maintained GSH content in pancreas, but MDA was slightly decreased. In addition, N-acetyl-cysteine ameliorated histological damage. Allopurinol and ${\beta}-carotene$ attenuated cerulein-induced hyperamylasemia, but histologically there was no difference from control. These results indicate that oxygen free radicals play an important role in the initiation of experimental acute pancreatitis. N-acetyl-cysteine is an effective antioxidant that ameliorates the cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis, and the possible therapeutic application of antioxidants against acute pancreatitis needs a further evaluation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.892-899
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• 1995

Pancreatitis is a known complication of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Although ischemia is believed to be a factor, the exact cause of pancreatitis after cardiopulmonary bypass remains unknown.We prospectively studied 67 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass for evaluation of the pancreatic injury after cardiopulmonary bypas. Serial measurement of amylase level in serum and urine was done postoperatively. Hyperamylasemia was detected in 15 patients[22.4% , of whom no patient had pancreatitis. There was no significant difference between serum amylase level and parameters such as cardiopulmonay bypass time, aortic cross clamp time, mean blood pressure, rectal temperature, flow rate, and use of circulatory arrest during cardiopulmonary bypass. Hyperamylasuria was detected in 8 patients[11.9% , and urine amylase level was elevated significantly in the groups with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, mean blood pressure more than 40mmHg, and rectal temperature more than 20 $^{\circ}$C. We recommend that serum amylase level and/or amylase-creatinine clearance ratio is measured for ealy detection and management of pancreatitis after cardiopulmonary bypass.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.192-196
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• 2002

To investigate the effect of intravenous ethanol administration on pancreatic exocrine secretion, we measured volume and protein amount in pancreatic juice and assayed amylase activity and phospholipase $A_2$ activity in pancreatic fragments and serum. Acute pancreatitis induced by obstruction of common bile-pancreatic duct (CBPD) and caerulein infusion (5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg/hr) showed typical characteristics, such as hyperamylasemia and pancreatic edema and increase of phospholipase $A_2$ activity in pancreatic fragments and serum. Intravenous ethanol infusion (50 mg/kg/hr) significantly stimulated pancreatic exocrine secretion, but such a stimulatory effect of ethanol disappeared at dose of 100 mg/kg/hr without typical symptoms of acute pancreatitis. In microscopic examination, there were no typical changes of edematous pancreatitis in ethanol administrated rats. These results suggest that acute ethanol administration has dual effect on exocrine pancreatic secretion: low dose of ethanol (50 mg/kg/hr) stimulates pancreatic exocrine secretion, whereas high dose of ethanol (100 mg/kg/hr) does not without typical changes of edematous pancreatitis.