TABLE 1.

Overview of analytic and clinical validation data for common immunologic pancreatic lipase assays in dogs

Assay	Analytic evaluation				Clinical evaluation
	Analytic validation	Measurement in EPI dogs a	Effect of heparinization b	Effect of lipemia, icterus, and/or hemolysis c	Histopathologic reference standard	Clinical reference standard
Spec cPL/cPLI	Laboratory: Inter‐ and intra‐assay CV <12% 52 Clinical: mean intra‐assay CV 5.5% 56	Median: 0.1 μg/L (RI: <400 μg/L) 57 98% of dogs had lipase concentration within lower 20% of RI (≤40 μg/L) 78 100% of dogs had lipase concentration within lower 25% of RI (≤50 μg/L) 78	No significant effect 74	No significant effect 52	Sensitivity: 21%‐71% 43 , 46 , 75 Specificity: 90%‐100% 7 , 46 , 60	Sensitivity: 70.0%‐90.9% 44 , 49 , 50 Specificity: 74.1%‐88% 44 , 49 , 50
SNAP cPL	Laboratory: 96%‐100% agreement between SNAP cPL and Spec cPL, when Spec cPL lipase was within RI 63 88%‐92% agreement between SNAP cPL and Spec cPL when Spec cPL lipase > RI 63 Clinical agreement with Spec cPL k = 0.78 49 ICC = 0.92 50	–	–	No significant effect 63	–	Sensitivity: 73.9%‐100% 44 , 49 , 50 Specificity: 59.0%‐77.8% 44 , 49 , 50
VetScan cPL	Laboratory: interassay CV 31.8%, intra‐assay CV 25.1% 65 Clinical: mean intra‐assay CV 17.0% 56 Clinical agreement with Spec cPL ICC = 0.96 50	–	–	No significant effect 56	–	Sensitivity: 73.9%‐83.3% 50 Specificity: 76.9%‐83.8% 50
Vcheck cPL	No laboratory evaluation Clinical: mean intra assay CV 23.7% 56 Clinical agreement with Spec cPL Unknown	–	–	No significant effect 56	–	–

^a Dogs with EPI should have negligible serum concentrations of pancreatic lipase.

^b Heparinization leads to release of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase.

^c Lipemia and icterus are commonly seen in dogs with suspected pancreatitis.