Specimen Collection

Sample stability:

• 7 days at 20-25 ^o C
• 7 days at 4-8 ^o C
• 1 year at -20 ^o C

4.5 mL Adult PST Blood (Preferred)

0.5 mL Paediatric Micro-PST Blood (Preferred)

5 mL Adult Heparin Blood

4 mL Adult Plain Blood

3.5 mL Adult SST Blood

0.5 mL Paediatric Microsample Blood

0.5 mL Paediatric Micro-heparin Blood
Reference Intervals

Units: U/L

Reference Interval: 10- 60

Uncertainty of Measurement: 6%

Turnaround Time: Within 3 hours
Assay Method

Principle : Colorimetric

Reagents: Roche LIPC kit

Analyser: Cobas c702

Diagnostic Use and Interpretation

Lipase is a better plasma diagnostic marker for acute pancreatitis than total amylase:

- higher magnitude of rise above upper reference limit
- an earlier rise (in some cases)
- a more prolonged rise - useful for late presenters
- raised in alcohol related acute pancreatitis (amylase can be minimally raised)
- less likely influenced by renal failure
- not raised in macro-amylasaemia
- not elevated in salivary gland or tubo-ovarian diseases (unlike amylase)

However similar to amylase, lipase can also be raised in non-pancreatitis related conditions including liver, stomach and intestinal pathologies.

Specificity for acute pancreatitis is high when lipase is more than 3 times its upper reference limit.

Request for Lipase can be made by specifically writing the test name down on the "Labplus Blood request form" under the "Other tests" box.

Contact Information

Emails to chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist.

If the query concerns a specific patient please include the NHI number in your email.

If email is not a suitable option, please contact the on-call chemical pathologist via Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995).

Individual chemical pathologists may be contacted but will not be available at all times.

After-hours : contact Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995) or hospital operator for on duty staff after hours.

Dr Samarina Musaad (Clinical Lead) : SamarinaM@adhb.govt.nz ext. 22402

Dr Cam Kyle: CampbellK@adhb.govt.nz ext 22052

Dr Weldon Chiu: WeldonC@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Dr Campbell Heron: CHeron@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Dr Sakunthala Jayasinghe: Sakunthala@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427

Last updated at 15:26:00 06/01/2025