Serum amylase activity in the newborn

The presence of measurable quantities of amylase in the serum of newborn infants or in serum derived from cord blood may be demonstrated through the use of a sensitive saccharogenic procedure that permits analysis of small quantities of serum. Serum amylase levels are highly variable during the early part of the neonatal period, but they usually tend to be close to or below the lower limits of normal established for adults. The origins of the serum amylase in the newborn infant remain to be elucidated.