[The problem of diagnosis of biliary calculi in acute pancreatitis by means of laboratory methods].

In order to assess the validity of a biochemical prediction of gallstones early in the course of acute pancreatitis by simple biochemical values (SGOT greater than or equal to 60 U/l, bilirubin greater than or equal to 1.6 mg/dl, alkaline phosphatase greater than or equal to 100 U/l) 297 patients with alcoholic, idiopathic and biliary pancreatitis were reinvestigated in a retrospective manner. The present study shows that a valid prediction by these values is not possible since 1) only about 40% of attacks of acute gallstone pancreatitis were associated with elevated SGOT, bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase concentrations and 2) there was a considerable overlap with the other etiological groups especially with idiopathic pancreatitis.