Table 1

Causes of the disease and serum amylase and lipase levels (divided into group A (⩽3n) and group B (>3n)) in 284 patients with a first attack of acute pancreatitis obtained on admission to hospital

Cause of the disease		Patients				Serum amylase levels			Serum lipase levels
		Patients				Group A: ⩽3n (n=88)					Group B: >3n (n=196)		Group A: ⩽3n (n=51)		Group B: >3n (n=233)
		n	%			n	%				n	%	n	%	n	%
Biliary	114	40.1		25	21.9		89	78.1	18	15.8		96	84.2
Alcoholism	83	29.2		34	41.0		49	59.0	13	15.7		70	84.3
Other	21	7.4		12	57.1		9	42.9	8	38.1		13	61.9
Unknown	66	23.2		17	25.8		49	74.2^*	12	18.2		54	81.8^§

Biliary	114	40.1		25	21.9		89	78.1	18	15.8		96	84.2
Non-biliary	170	59.9		63	37.1		107	62.9^†	33	19.4		137	80.6^¶

Alcoholics	83	29.2		34	41.0		49	59.0	13	15.7		70	84.3
Non-alcoholics	201	70.8		54	26.9		147	73.1^‡	38	18.9		163	81.1^**

χ² test of independence: ^*p=0.001;^†p=0.007; ^‡p = 0.019; ^§p=0.09, not significant; ^¶p=0.44, not significant; ^**p=0.52, not significant.