Effective Thursday, April 22, 2010, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) core laboratory will change the reference range for plasma "AMYLASE" (EPIC # LAB48) from < 170 U/L to < 100 U/L. This follows from a change in both assay methodology and conversion factor, with the end result that both the amylase concentrations and reference range will be lower than the current method.

This change should resolve questions as to why the amylase values and reference range at the UI Hospitals and Clinics chemistry laboratory have been often noticeably higher than at reference laboratories. For example, the reference range for total amylase at ARUP Laboratories for the send-out test "AMYLASE FRACTIONATION, SERUM" [Epic # LAB2590] is < 110 U/L.

Questions should be directed to Matthew Krasowski, MD, PhD, medical director of the Clinical Chemistry
(384-9380, matthew-krasowski@uiowa.edu).