Normal Range of Serum Lipase
The normal range for serum lipase is 5-208 U/L, though specific reference ranges may vary slightly between laboratories. 1
Laboratory Reference Values
- The standard normal range for serum lipase is 5-208 U/L based on modern automated biochemical analyzers 1
- In healthy controls, mean serum lipase levels are approximately 15.3 U/L 2
- Some laboratories report normal ranges up to approximately 220 U/L, with values up to 680 U/L (roughly 3 times normal) occasionally seen in non-pancreatic abdominal conditions 3
Clinical Significance of Lipase Levels
- Elevations >3 times the upper limit of normal (>600-650 U/L) are highly specific for pancreatic pathology, with 99% specificity for acute pancreatitis 3, 1
- Lipase has superior diagnostic accuracy compared to amylase, with sensitivity of 79% versus 72% for detecting pancreatic injury 4, 5
- Lipase levels drawn on admission can exclude pancreatic injury with 99.8% negative predictive value 4, 5
Temporal Dynamics of Lipase
- Lipase rises within 4-8 hours of pancreatic injury, peaks at 24 hours, and remains elevated for 8-14 days 4, 5
- This extended elevation window makes lipase superior to amylase (which normalizes in 3-7 days) for detecting pancreatitis in patients presenting later in their disease course 4
Important Clinical Caveats
- Mild elevations (up to 3 times normal) can occur in non-pancreatic conditions including renal disease, bowel obstruction, and bowel ischemia 4, 6
- In chronic renal failure, serum lipase levels can be significantly elevated (mean 79.8 U/L) due to decreased renal clearance, even without pancreatic pathology 2
- Extremely high lipase levels (>10,000 U/L) have 80% positive predictive value for biliary pancreatitis and 99% negative predictive value for excluding alcoholic pancreatitis 7