Feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI) test

Overview

• fPLI  is an acronym for feline Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity, a specific lipase found only in feline pancreatic tissue.
• The commercially available assay measures concentrations of pancreatic lipase in the serum.
• Inflammation of the pancreas leads to an increased release of pancreatic lipase into the circulation, thus elevated concentrations of pancreatic lipase are consistent with a diagnosis of pancreatitis    .

Uses

Alone

• Feline pancreatic lipase is an enzyme that is synthesized and released only by pancreatic acinar cells.
• Increased serum concentrations of feline pancreatic lipase suggest an increased release from pancreatic acinar cells. The increased release of pancreatic lipase is classically associated with pancreatic inflammation, ie acute or chronic pancreatitis.
• Clinically normal cats have low circulating concentrations of pancreatic lipase in serum.
• Cats with acute pancreatitis typically show dramatic elevations in serum pancreatic lipase concentrations.
• In comparison to feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI    ), pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity concentrations tend to show a greater increase during a bout of acute pancreatitis, and remain elevated for longer periods.
• Measurement of an elevated feline pancreatic lipase concentration in serum is a useful method for diagnosing acute or chronic pancreatitis.
• The magnitude of elevation of serum feline pancreatic lipase concentration does not establish a prognosis for a patient with acute pancreatitis.
• Cats with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency show low to non-detectable concentrations of feline pancreatic lipase in the circulation. Some clinically normal cats, however, also show low concentrations of pancreatic lipase and thus this test can not be used to diagnose exocrine pancreatic insufficiency    .

In combination

• Many cats with clinical signs of chronic pancreatitis (inappetence, sporadic vomiting, diarrhea, or other) also have concurrent small intestinal disease.
• Measurement of feline pancreatic lipase concentration in combination with serum fTLI, cobalamin and folate concentrations may be used to screen patients for small intestinal disease.

Result data

Normal (reference) values

• The reference range for serum pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity as measured by the fPLI assay in cats is 2.0-6.8 µg/L.

Abnormal values

• Cats with serum pancreatic lipase >6.8 but <12 µg/L may have pancreatitis that is mild or resolving. Continue supportive therapy as necessary, consider retesting in 24-48 hours depending on clinical progress.
• The cut-off value for diagnosis of pancreatitis is >12 µg/L.

Sources

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed.
• Forman M A, Marks S L, De Cock H E V, Hergesell E J, Wisner E R, Baker T W, Kass P H, Steiner J M & Williams D A (2004) Evaluation of serum feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity and helical computed tomography versus conventional testing for the diagnosis of feline pancreatitis. J Vet Intern Med 18 (6), 807-815 PubMed.
• Steiner J M, Wilson B G & Williams D A (2004) Development and analytical validation of a radioimmunoassay for the measurement of feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity in serum. Can J Vet Res 68 (4), 309-314 PubMed.
• Steiner J M, Wilson B G & Williams D A (2003) Purification and partial characterization of feline classical pancreatic lipase. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 134 (1), 151-159.

Organization (s)