Enzymes

 Acid Phosphatase (ACP)

• Acid phosphatase (ACP) is the term for all phosphatases with a maximum enyzmatic activity below pH 7.0. The measurement of the ACP activity is indicated in cases of suspected bone tumors and metastases and Gaucher’s disease.

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP, AP)

• Alkaline phosphatase activity is measured for diagnosis, monitoring and therapy control of liver, bone, parathyroid and intestinal diseases. Conditions with increased alkaline phosphatase levels are hepatobiliary diseases, primary and secondary bone diseases. Reduced alkaline phosphatase levels are found in familial hypophosphatasia, adynamic bone disease in dialysis patients, hypoparathyroidism, achondroplasia, pituitary dwarfism, chronic radiation sickness and malnutrition.

alpha-Amylase (AMY, AMS)

• Alpha-amylase activity is measured for detection of acute pancreatitis, chronic (relapsing) pancreatitis, obstruction of the pancreatic duct, detection of pancreatic involvement in abdominal disorders, surgical procedures, anorexia, bulimia, and parotitis. There is also a detectable increase in amylase after an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure. 

Cholinesterase (CHE)

• Cholinesterase activity measurements are used as a test of liver function in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis, liver sclerosis, as an indicator of insecticide poisoning and as a means to investigate atypical variants of the enzyme. A decreased level of enzyme activity is an indication of any of the above conditions. CHE is also used to identify patients with low enzyme activity before administration of muscle relaxants of the succinylcholine type. CHE activity is regarded as the most important indicator of degree of intoxication by organophosphorus pesticide.  

Creatine Kinase (CK)

• Creatine kinase activity and the activity of its isoenzymes is measured for diagnosis and therapy control of myocardial infarction, myocarditis, cerebrovascular accidents, skeletal muscular dystrophies, and cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases. Creatine kinase activity is also measured for monitoring the treatment of cancer patients.

CK-MB (CKMB)

• CK-MB is a rapidly appearing biomarker in case of a myocardial infarction. The rise in activity of CK-MB depends on the size of the cardiac muscle damage.

gamma-GT

• Gamma-GT activity measurements are used for diagnosis of suspected hepatobiliary disease, differential diagnosis and monitoring of hepatobiliary disease and monitoring of chronic alcoholism in combination with other laboratory tests.

GOT/ASAT (AST, SGOT)

• Aminotransferases measurements are basic investigations for the diagnosis and monitoring of liver and muscle damage. Aminotransferases are measured for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease (GPT/ALAT), myocardial infarction (GOT/ASAT), skeletal muscle damage (GOT/ASAT), viral hepatitis (GPT/ALAT) and as a part of medical screening examinations.

GPT/ALAT (ALT, SGPT)

• Aminotransferases measurements are basic investigations for the diagnosis and monitoring of liver and muscle damage. Aminotransferases are measured for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease (GPT/ALAT), myocardial infarction (GOT/ASAT), skeletal muscle damage (GOT/ASAT), viral hepatitis (GPT/ALAT) and as a part of medical screening examinations.

LDH (LDH-P)

• Lactate dehydrogenase measurements are used for diagnosis and therapy control of liver diseases such as acute viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, malignant liver diseases, myocardial infarction, tumors of the lung or kidneys, pulmonary embolism and hemolytic anemia.

Lipase (LIP, LPS)

• Lipase activity measurements are used primarily to investigate pancreatic disorders, usually pancreatitis. Indications for lipase measurements are detection and exclusion of acute pancreatitis (in acute upper quadrant abdominal pain), chronic (relapsing) pancreatitis, obstruction of the pancreatic duct and detection of pancreatic involvement in abdominal diseases. 

Pancreatic Amylase (PAMY)

• Pancreatic amylase activity measurements in serum and urine are mainly applied for the diagnosis of pancreatic disorders as well as for detecting the development of complications. As pancreatic and salivary amylase show a structural homology of 97%, the only method to distinguish is to use an assay based on monoclonal antibodies to inhibit the salivary enzyme. The amylase in the blood is eliminated through the kidneys and excreted into the urine, therefore, elevated serum activity is reflected in the rise of urinary amylase activity. For confirmation of an acute pancreatitis an additional measurement of lipase is recommended.