injury of what organ produces an elevated serum amylase level?
What does the test result mean? A high amylase level in the blood may indicate the presence of a condition affecting the pancreas. In acute pancreatitis, amylase in the blood often increases to 4 to 6 times higher than the highest reference value, sometimes called the upper limit of normal. The increase occurs within 4 to 8 hours of injury to the pancreas and generally remains elevated until the cause is successfully treated.