Individual patient data meta-analysis of organ failure in acute pancreatitis : protocol of the PANCREA II study

Context Organ failure is a major determinant of mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis. These patients usually requireadmission to high dependency or intensive care units and consume considerable health care resources. Given a low incidence rate of organ failure and a lack of large non-interventional studies in the field of acute pancreatitis, the characteristics of organ failure that influence outcomes of patients with acute pancreatitis remain largely unknown. Therefore, the Pancreatitis Across Nations Clinical Research and Education Alliance (PANCREA) aims to conduct a meta-analysis of individual patient data from prospective non-interventional studies to determine the influence of timing, duration, sequence, and combination of different organ failures on mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis. Methods Pancreatologists currently active with acute pancreatitis clinical research will be invited to contribute. To be eligible for inclusion patients will have to meet the criteria of acute pancreatitis, develop at least one organ failure during the first week of hospitalization, and not be enrolled into an intervention study. Raw data will then be collated and checked. Individual patient data analysis based on a logistic regression model with adjustment for confounding variables will be done. For all analyses, corresponding 95% confidence intervals and P values will be reported. Conclusion This collaborative individual patient data meta-analysis will answer important clinical questions regarding patients with acute pancreatitis that develop organ failure. Information derived from this study will be used to optimize routine clinical management and improve care strategies. It can also help validate outcome definitions, allow comparability of results and form a more accurate basis for patient allocation in further clinical studies

Chronic pancreatitis: from guidelines to clinical practice

Introduction The paucity of specific standardized criteria leads to uncertainties in clinical practice regarding the management of chronic pancreatitis (CP).Objectives This paper reports some of the systematic guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of CP recently elaborated by an Italian multicenter study group. We review recommendations on clinical and nutritional aspects of the disease, assessment of pancreatic function, treatment of exocrine pancreatic failure and secondary diabetes, treatment of pain, and prevention of painful relapses. The review also looks at the role of endoscopy in the management of pancreatic pain, pancreatic stones, duct narrowing and dilation, and complications; the appropriate use of various imaging techniques, including endoscopic ultrasound; and the indications for and techniques used in surgical management of CP.</p

Severe acute pancreatitis: clinical findings and therapeutic tools in Internal Medicine practice

BACKGROUND Recent advances in pathophysiology and therapeutic measures suggest that patients suffering from acute pancreatitis (AP) should undergo an early evaluation and treatment in Internal Medicine wards. Severe AP, usually associated with pancreatic necrosis and peripancreatic fluid collections, may be frequently complicated by distant organ(s) involvement. RESULTS The dreadful multi-organ failure may occur as an early event (during the first week of the disease) or in association with the infection of pancreatic necrosis in a later stage. So, during the clinical outcome, physicians may be compelled to counteract cardio-circulatory, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, haematological and hydro-electrolytic complex derangements. Arterial hypotension and shock may be consequence of hypovolemia and/or hearth failure or septic shock syndrome. Pleural effusions are frequent in the early phase of the disease as well as pulmonary densifications and renal insufficiency. Urinary, pulmonary, and biliary infections may intervene during all phases of the disease whereas pancreatic necrosis and fluid collections infections are more frequent after the second week of hospitalization. Prognostic evaluation should be obtained by simple and precise scoring system such as the modified Marshall score and CT-scan severity index. CONCLUSIONS Treatment must be initiated as soon as possible with special focusing on fluid and nutritional supplementation, pain control, cardio-respiratory support, antiproteases and antibiotics. Invasive procedures such as endoscopic sphincterotomy in biliary AP with cholangitis and/or obstruction and percutaneous drainage should be utilized in specific cases. Surgical necrosectomy is mandatory in patients with documented infection of pancreatic necrosis

Chronic asymptomatic hyperamylasemia unrelated to pancreatic disease

BACKGROUND Almost all patients presenting with chronic hyperamylasemia undergo an expensive, long, difficult and often repeated diagnostic workup even if this occurrence is not associated with symptoms or with known pancreatotoxic factors. This is in relationship with the poor knowledge that, beside hyperenzymemia secondary to pancreatic diseases and systemic illnesses, various non-pathological forms of chronic hyperamylasemia can occur in clinical practice. AIM OF THE STUDY This study was addressed to assess the clinical characteristics of patients presenting with chronic hyperamylasemia unrelated to pancreatic diseases (CHUPD). PATIENTS AND METHODS Data of all patients with CHUPD were retrospectively reviewed (June 1997-March 2007). Forty patients were included in the study; median follow- up was 33 months (range 3-84 months). CHUPD was secondary to: a) chronic benign pancreatic hyperamylasemia, 16 patients (40%); b) macroamylasemia, 15 patients (37.5%); c) salivary hyperamylasemia, 9 patients (22.5%). Gilbert’s syndrome was present in 13 patients (32.5%; 8 with macroamylasemia) and hyperdyslipidemia in 8 patients (20%; 5 with chronic benign pancreatic hyperamylasemia). Diagnostic exams (all in the normal range) performed before our observation were: Ca19-9 serum level in 37/40 (92.5%), ultrasonography and computed tomography-scan in all patients, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 21/40 (52.5%), abdominal magnetic resonance in 14/40 (35%). Previous diagnosis in these asymptomatic subjects were: chronic pancreatitis in 26 cases (65%); recurrent pancreatitis in 10 cases (25%); the remaining 4 patients (10%) were addressed without a specific diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS In clinical practice, the occurrence of an unexplained chronic hyperamylasemia very often allows to an unappropriate diagnostic workup due to the poor familiarity with CHUPD conditions