Origin of serum catalase activity in acute pancreatitis

Serum catalase activity was examined in 96 patients with the oedematous form and in 15 patients with the necrotic form of acute pancreatitis. Total catalase release into plasma was estimated to be 2,140 ± 947 kU and 4,764 ± 1,505 kU, respectively. The g equivalents of pancreas were 163 ± 72 g and 362 ± 133 g, being 2.03-fold and 4.52-fold higher than the whole mass of pancreas indicating the nonpancreatic origin of the total increase of serum catalase. In both types of acute pancreatitis serum haemoglobin, haematin, haptoglobin and LDH values supported the presence of haemolysis. The volumes of blood were 22.6 ± 10.1 ml and 50.4 ± 15.9 ml which are only 0.41% and 0.91% of the total blood volume. Taking these findings into account, in acute pancreatitis the major part of increase of serum catalase can be explained by its release from the erythrocytes.