Blood Tests
The range of blood tests that can be performed are shown in Table 1, below.
Arterial blood gases should be performed if pancreatitis or ischaemic bowel is suspected.
| Test | Reason |
| White cell count (WCC)
C-reactive protein (CRP) |
Inflammatory markers may be raised in many causes of abdominal pain, including non-surgical causes [6].
Generally helpful but low sensitivity and specificity. |
| Urea and electrolytes (U&E) | Urea raised if dehydrated/GI bleed |
| Liver function test (LFT) | Suspected liver or gallstone pathology |
| Amylase | Elevated in acute pancreatitis (lipase is more specific for this condition but amylase is a more readily available test) |
| G&S +/- cross match | If bleeding suspected or laparotomy possible |
| Venous or Arterial blood gas (VBG/ABG) | Raised lactate can be an important early indicator of serious pathology (eg. ischaemia, necrosis, sepsis, shock)
An arterial PaO2 is required to formulate a Glasgow-Imre Pancreatitis score, but in most cases a VBG is sufficient. |