Pancreatitis, very early compared with normal start of enteral feeding (PYTHON trial): design and rationale of a randomised controlled multicenter trial

Contains fulltext : 97199.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: In predicted severe acute pancreatitis, infections have a negative effect on clinical outcome. A start of enteral nutrition (EN) within 24 hours of onset may reduce the number of infections as compared to the current practice of starting an oral diet and EN if necessary at 3-4 days after admission. METHODS/DESIGN: The PYTHON trial is a randomised controlled, parallel-group, superiority multicenter trial. Patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis (Imrie-score >/= 3 or APACHE-II score >/= 8 or CRP > 150 mg/L) will be randomised to EN within 24 hours or an oral diet and EN if necessary, after 72 hours after hospital admission.During a 3-year period, 208 patients will be enrolled from 20 hospitals of the Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group. The primary endpoint is a composite of mortality or infections (bacteraemia, infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis, pneumonia) during hospital stay or within 6 months following randomisation. Secondary endpoints include other major morbidity (e.g. new onset organ failure, need for intervention), intolerance of enteral feeding and total costs from a societal perspective. DISCUSSION: The PYTHON trial is designed to show that a very early (< 24 h) start of EN reduces the combined endpoint of mortality or infections as compared to the current practice of an oral diet and EN if necessary at around 72 hours after admission for predicted severe acute pancreatitis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN: ISRCTN18170985

DYSPNEA AFTER PNEUMONECTOMY

We report the case of a 61 yr old male, who developed a severe right-to-left shunt through a patent foramen ovale, in the absence of elevated right-sided heart pressures, two months after a left-sided pneumonectomy. This is considered to be a rare complication after pneumonectomy. However, taking into account the approximately 20% incidence of patent foramen ovale in the general population, we suggest that right-to-left shunting through an unsuspected foramen ovale or atrial septum defect should always be considered as a possible cause of otherwise unexplained hypoxaemia

INCREASED MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES-MELLITUS AFTER KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION AS COMPARED WITH NONDIABETIC PATIENTS

The results of renal transplantation in patients with juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus were compared to those of a well-matched control group of non-diabetic patients. All transplantations were performed between 1977 and 1988. In the diabetic group hypertension (72 versus 41 coronary artery disease (17 versus 0%), and peripheral vascular disease (19 versus 0%) had been significantly more frequent pretransplantation. Fewer diabetic patients had previously been treated with dialysis therapy (69 versus 97%). Graft function measured by creatinine clearance after 1 year follow-up, and incidence of proteinuria were not significantly different. The overall graft survival was significantly worse in the diabetic group compared to the control group: 42 versus 69% after 60 months and 21 versus 62% after 90 months. This was caused by a significantly worse patient survival in the diabetic group after 105 months: 28 versus 78% in the control group. The graft survival following exclusion of the patients who died with a functioning graft did not differ significantly between the groups after 60 and 90 months: 62 and 31 % in the diabetic group and 69 and 62% in the control group. The existence of any vascular disease before transplantation, especially pre-existing peripheral vascular disease, had a significant effect on mortality in diabetic patients (P = 0.0003). After transplantation, diabetic patients had significantly more cerebrovascular accidents (23 versus 3%), peripheral vascular disease (31 versus 3%), and number of infections (1.9 versus 1.2). Retransplantation was carried out in each group to the same extent, with the same success rate

Endoscopic transluminal necrosectomy in necrotising pancreatitis: a systematic review

We performed a systematic review to assess the outcome of endoscopic transluminal necrosectomy in necrotising pancreatitis with additional focus on indication, disease severity, and methodological quality of studies. We searched the literature published between January 2005 and June 2013. Cohorts, including patients with (infected) necrotising pancreatitis, undergoing endoscopic necrosectomy were included. Indication, disease severity, and methodological quality were described. The main outcomes were mortality, major complications, number of endoscopic sessions, and definitive successful treatment with endoscopic necrosectomy alone. After screening 581 papers, 14 studies, including 455 patients, fulfilled the eligibility criteria. All included studies were retrospective analyses except for one randomized, controlled trial. Overall methodological quality was moderate to low (mean 5, range 2-9). Less than 50 % of studies reported on pre-procedural severity of disease: mean APACHE-II score before intervention was 8; organ failure was present in 23 % of patients; and infected necrosis in 57 % of patients. On average, four (range 1-23) endoscopic interventions were performed per patient. With endoscopic necrosectomy alone, definitive successful treatment was achieved in 81 % of patients. Mortality was 6 % (28/460 patients) and complications occurred in 36 % of patients. Bleeding was the most common complication. Endoscopic transluminal necrosectomy is an effective treatment for the majority of patients with necrotising pancreatitis with acceptable mortality and complication rates. It should be noted that methodological quality of the available studies is limited and that the combined patient population of endoscopically treated patients is only moderately ill