Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. An unrecognized cause of hyperamylasemia.

The prevalence of hyperamylasemia 2 hr and 24 hr after upper gastrointestinal endoscopy without attempts to cannulate the ampulla of Vater was prospectively studied in 50 consecutive patients. In the 2-hr sample, hyperamylasemia was observed in nine patients (18%) (serum amylase range 59-191 units/liter with a mean value of 102 units/liter; reference range: 12-46 units/liter). Five of the nine patients still had an increased serum amylase (range 54-118 units/liter, mean 78.4) 24 hr after endoscopy. When hyperamylasemia occurred, it always appeared in and was higher in the 2-hr sample. The increased serum amylase activity was due to a rise of S-type isoamylase. The cause of hyperamylasemia after gastrointestinal endoscopy is speculative but is probably due to an hypersalivation.

[Occurrence and nature of hyperamylasemia in chronic alcoholics]. / Prévalence et nature de l'hyperamylasémie chez les alcooliques chroniques.

The purpose of this work was: a) the prospective study of the prevalence of hyperamylasemia in 100 patients with chronic alcoholism; b) the determination of the serum isoamylase distribution in patients with hyperamylasemia by an inhibitor assay; c) the search of the origin of elevated serum isoamylase S. Moderate hyperamylasemia was found in 15 patients. The importance of alcohol abuse, the prevalences of cirrhosis and smokers were not statistically different from those observed in normoamylasemic patients. After one week of hospitalization, serum amylase was still elevated in 11 of 14 alcoholic patients. Hyperamylasemia was due to an increase in the isoamylase P in 5 cases, in the isoamylase S in 7 cases, and in both forms in 3 cases. Activities of serum lipase and isoamylase P were roughly parallel. Only two out of 8 patients with elevated isoamylase P had chronic pancreatitis. The salivary origin of elevated isoamylase S was suspected in only one out of 10 patients. This work shows that the origin of moderate hyperamylasemia, observed in alcoholic patients, is often extrapancreatic. It is suggested that the dosage of serum lipase simpler than that of isoamylases, may be routinely used in chronic alcoholic patients for diagnostic purposes.

Parasitic oscillations, absorption, stored energy density and heat density in active-mirror and disk amplifiers.

We present detailed calculations of the absorption, stored energy density, and heat density distributions for these commercial laser glasses of current interest (silicate-ED-2, phosphates-EV-2, LHG-5). The form of the stored energy density distribution is shown to be important in the consideration of parasitic oscillations in active-mirror and disk amplifiers. In active-mirror amplifiers, the application of multilayer dielectric coatings has been found not to affect the threshold for bulk parasitic oscillations. Due to the unique geometry of active mirrors, amplified spontaneous emission rather than parasitics is found to limit energy storage ultimately.