Relationship Between Amylase Levels and Renal Failure

Kidney failure may lead to high amylase level, but not everyone with chronic kidney failure will suffer from high amylase level. Generally speaking, elevations of serum amylase in asymptomatic patients with impaired kidney function are not evident until creatinine clearances fall below 50ml/min.

About amylase

Amylase is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch into sugars. High amylase level is the typical diagnostic indicators of acute pancreatitis. But it may also occur in some other illness condition like pancreatic duct obstruction, pancreatic abscess, pancreatic injury, ileus, mumps, cholecystitis, kidney failure and renal impairment and so on. For low serum amylase, it is more common among people with cirrhosis, hepatitis and liver cancer and so on.

About kidney failure

Kidney failure is always used to describe the end consequence of acute kidney problem and chronic kidney problem. Kidneys have great compensatory ability, so we usually have no obvious symptoms with mild kidney damages. However, without effective treatment, kidney disease progresses and when it develops to a certain stage, various symptoms like high blood pressure, anemia, decreased urine output, high creatinine level, high amylase level and so on.

Causes and treatment method for high amylase level in kidney failure

Kidney is a bean-shaped organ with multiple purpose. when kidneys being to function less efficiently, creatinine clearance decreases and also a variety of enzyme levels like amylase level become elevated. In general, amylase level increases when creatinine clearance decreases to 50ml/min. In such a condition, dietary changes and medicines may be used to deal with it. For kidney failure patients with high amylase level, increasing Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is the key to lower amylase level.