New diagnostic and severity assessment methods for acute pancreatitis

The diagnostic and severity assessment for acute pancreatitis of the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has been used for the diagnosis and the severity judgment of acute pancreatitis in Japan. But in late years, the urinary trypsinogen-2 and the blood procalcitonin (PCT) are reported to be useful in diagnosing acute pancreatitis and levels of these were shown to be elevated in severe cases. Although trypsinogen-2 was approved in MHLW insurance, its insurance mark was too low for marketing. We can determine levels of trypsinogen-2 similar to a urine test tape, and this would aid the doctors in clinics for the diagnosis/exclusion of acute, especially severe, pancreatitis in 5 minutes. From the viewpoint of early diagnosis/treatment of severe pancreatitis, and improving prognosis, the reevaluation of the insurance mark of the urinary trypsinogen-2 is necessary. Also, PCT has been approved by insurance for infection, but not for acute pancreatitis. Since it is reasonable to use PCT for the diagnosis severe acute pancreatitis, we hope that PCT would be approved in MHLW insurance for acute pancreatitis.