Raised Amylase/Lipase levels in Enteric Fever: Prognostic marker or a sign of Pancreatitis? – Case Report

Abstract

Enteric fever is a commonly diagnosed entity in developing nations. Mostly uneventful, it can sometimes manifest with a plethora of complications, including gastrointestinal hemorrhage, intestinal perforation, peritonitis, encephalopathy, and pancreatitis. We are discussing a case of enteric fever with the presentation in the form of bleeding per rectum. The patient's raised amylase and lipase levels confused the scenario as it could not be decided whether this rise was due to enteric fever or its possible but rare complication, pancreatitis. There was no radiological or clinical evidence of pancreatitis; hence the rise in the amylase and lipase levels was due to enteric fever only and not pancreatitis. Serial titers showed declining enzyme values with the improvement of patient condition. A correlation of amylase and lipase levels with enteric fever and the use of serial amylase and lipase levels as a prognostic marker for enteric fever are proposed hereby, hence, proposed.

Keywords

• amylase
• enteric fever
• lipase
• pancreatitis