Pancreatic Amylase and Lipase Plasma Concentrations Are Unaffected by Increments in Endogenous GLP-1 Levels Following Liquid Meal Tests.

Abstract

Recent findings have suggested that incretin-based therapies promote pancreatic inflammation and possibly cell proliferation within the endocrine and exocrine pancreas (1). However, these studies have been met with substantive criticism based on technical and methodical issues (2). Nevertheless, incretin-based therapies seem to result in small increases (within normal range) in plasma concentrations of amylase and lipase in patients receiving these treatments. For example, in the SCALE Maintenance study (3), which examined the efficacy of high-dose liraglutide (3.0 mg once daily) for maintenance of weight loss achieved with low-calorie diet in obese/overweight individuals without diabetes, median lipase concentration was increased throughout the treatment period. The nature of the increase in amylase and lipase concentrations in patients receiving incretin-based therapies is at present not known. It has been speculated that elevated GLP-1 receptor agonist concentrations may be the direct cause. Interestingly, it has never been shown whether plasma concentrations of pancreas-specific …