pancreatic polypeptide in plasma

Indications

• useful for screening members of families with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type-1

Reference interval

• adults
  • 20-28 years: 26-158 pg/mL
  • 29-39 years: 55-284 pg/mL
  • 40-49 years: 64-243 pg/mL
  • > 50 years: 51-326 pg/mL

Increases

• clinical disorders
  • functioning pancreatic endocrine tumors
    • gastrinoma
    • insulinoma
    • VIPoma
    • glucagonoma
  • some extra-pancreatic carcinoid tumors
  • metastases of some islet cell tumors
    • higher levels occur with liver metastases
  • some adenocarcinomas of the pancreas, stomach, colon or rectum
  • duodenal ulcer
  • diabetes mellitus
    • may be characteristic of lean type-2 diabetes
  • advanced age
  • renal failure
  • multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type-1
  • medullary thyroid carcinoma
  • Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• pharmaceutical agents
  • in vivo effects
    • insulin-induced hypoglycemia

Decreases

• clinical disorders
  • chronic pancreatitis with exocrine insufficiency

Specimen

• plasma (fasting) EDTA
• freeze
• pancreatic tissue also acceptable

More general terms

• special chemistry test

Additional terms

• pancreatic polypeptide; pancreatic hormone; Obinepitide (PPY, PNP, PP)