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Preferred Sample Type

Faecal Elastase-1

Suitable Specimen Types

  • Faeces
500 mg

Specimen Transport

First Class Post

Sample Processing in Laboratory

Usual

Sample Preparation

Requires a formed stool specimen. Watery stool samples can give falsely low results.

Turnaround Time

15 days

Sample Stability

Stable when stored at 4oC for 9 days (Also stable at room temperature for 9 days)

Faecal Elastase-1

General Information

Pancreatic elastase is secreted by acinar cells in the pancreas. It is not degraded during transfer through the intestine, therefore the faecal concentrations reflects pancreatic exocrine function.

Faecal elastase is a non invasive assessment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Its measurement has been shown to correlate well with more invasive 'tube' and 'tubeless' tests of exocrine pancreatic function such as the Secretin Pancreozymin test and the Pancreolauryl test.

Faecal elastase may also have role in the assessment of cystic fibrosis patients.

Administration of bovine or porcine pancreatic supplements do not interfere with the test for faecal elastase, which is a distinct advantage over other pancreatic enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin or amylase.

Very wet stool samples may give falsely low elastase levels and require confirmation on a formed sample to confirm pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

 

Patient Preparation

None

Notes

None Given

Reference Range

Normal: >200 ug/g

Mild to moderate exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: 100 – 200 ug/g

Severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: <100 ug/g

Source of Reference Range

Phillips ME, Hopper AD, Leeds JS, et alConsensus for the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: UK practical guidelinesBMJ Open Gastroenterology 2021;8:e000643. doi: 10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000643

Specifications

  • EQA Scheme?: Yes
  • EQA Status: UKNEQAS