Transition of early-phase treatment for acute pancreatitis: An analysis of nationwide epidemiological survey

Artificial intelligence-based tools with automated segmentation and measurement on CT images to assist accurate and fast diagnosis in acute pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) tool with automated pancreas segmentation and measurement of pancreatic morphological information on CT images to assist improved and faster diagnosis in acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

This study retrospectively contained 1124 patients suspected for AP and received non-contrast and enhanced abdominal CT examination between September 2013 and September 2022. Patients were divided into training (N = 688), validation (N = 145), testing dataset [N = 291; N = 104 for normal pancreas, N = 98 for AP, N = 89 for AP complicated with PDAC (AP&PDAC)]. A model based on convolutional neural network (MSAnet) was developed. The pancreas segmentation and measurement were performed via eight open-source models and MSAnet based tools, and the efficacy was evaluated using dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and intersection over union (IoU). The DSC and IoU for patients with different ages were also compared. The outline of tumour and oedema in the AP and were segmented by clustering. The diagnostic efficacy for radiologists with or without the assistance of MSAnet tool in AP and AP&PDAC was evaluated using receiver operation curve and confusion matrix.

RESULTS

Among all models, MSAnet based tool showed best performance on the training and validation dataset, and had high efficacy on testing dataset. The performance was age-affected. With assistance of the AI tool, the diagnosis time was significantly shortened by 26.8% and 32.7% for junior and senior radiologists, respectively. The area under curve (AUC) in diagnosis of AP was improved from 0.91 to 0.96 for junior radiologist and 0.98 to 0.99 for senior radiologist. In AP&PDAC diagnosis, AUC was increased from 0.85 to 0.92 for junior and 0.97 to 0.99 for senior.

CONCLUSION

MSAnet based tools showed good pancreas segmentation and measurement performance, which help radiologists improve diagnosis efficacy and workflow in both AP and AP with PDAC conditions.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

This study developed an AI tool with automated pancreas segmentation and measurement and provided evidence for AI tool assistance in improving the workflow and accuracy of AP diagnosis.

Correlation between Pancreatic Duct Variation and Related Diseases: An Effective Method Observing the Dual-Energy CT with Low-keV Monoenergetic Images

PURPOSE

Pancreatic duct variation can affect the secretory function of the pancreas. We aimed to explore the pancreatic duct variation, observed using low-keV monoenergetic images [MEI (+)] of dual-energy CT (DECT), and its relationship with related diseases. We further sought to compare pancreatic duct imaging using low-keV MEI (+) of DECT and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The DECT and MRCP images of 854 patients were evaluated retrospectively. The 808 patients' pancreatic duct types were classified according to the anatomy and the opening of the pancreatic ducts, and the correlation with related diseases was analyzed. The DECT and MRCP images of 852 patients were graded according to the sharpness of the pancreatic ducts for evaluation.

RESULTS

A higher prevalence of acute pancreatitis (AP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), and duodenal papillary carcinoma (DPC) was observed in the variant group. Of the 27 AP cases in the variant group, 9 patients (33.3%) were Type 3c. Additionally, Type 4a was significantly correlated with AP and CP (p < 0.05). Low-keV MEI (+) of DECT outperformed the MRCP images in the sharpness of the pancreatic ducts in 852 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic duct variation is associated with AP, CP, and DPC. Low-keV MEI (+) DECT is an effective method to observe the pancreatic duct system.

Acute Pancreatitis in Japan: Comparison of Before and After Revision of the Clinical Guidelines

OBJECTIVES

Cases of acute pancreatitis (AP) are increasing worldwide, and mortality remains high in severe cases. In 2015, the Japanese guidelines for the management of AP were revised. We aimed to clarify the clinical practice of AP in Japan and its trend during the revision of the guidelines using a Japanese nationwide administrative database.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 102,119 patients with AP who were hospitalized between April 2014 and March 2018. The study period was divided into the first period (the time before the revision: fiscal years 2014 and 2015) and second period (after the revision: 2016 and 2017).

RESULTS

Severe cases of AP accounted for 27.7% of total cases. The in-hospital mortality in severe cases was 5.7%. The mortality within 14 days of admission improved from 3.2% in the first period to 2.6% in the second period (P = 0.022). Referred patients had more severe diseases and a higher mortality. The mortality in patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fistuloplasty for local complications (11.6%) was lower than that in patients who underwent percutaneous drainage (23.4%) or AP surgery (22.6%) (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We clarified the clinical practice of AP including the improved mortality after the revision of the guidelines.

The role of procalcitonin in reducing antibiotics across the surgical pathway

Procalcitonin (PCT) is widely considered as a highly sensitive biomarker of bacterial infection, offering general and emergency surgeons a key tool in the management of surgical infections. A multidisciplinary task force of experts met in Bologna, Italy, on April 4, 2019, to clarify the key issues in the use of PCT across the surgical pathway. The panelists presented the statements developed for each of the main questions regarding the use of PCT across the surgical pathway. An agreement on the statements was reached by the Delphi method, and this document reports the executive summary of the final recommendations approved by the expert panel.

Intravenous fluid resuscitation in the management of acute pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In the absence of proven effective pharmacologic therapy in acute pancreatitis, and given its simplicity, wide availability, and perceived safety, intravenous fluid resuscitation remains the cornerstone in the early treatment of acute pancreatitis. Herein, we will review the rationale of fluid therapy, critically appraise the published literature, and summarize recent studies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several observational studies and small clinical trials have raised concern about the efficacy and safety of aggressive fluid resuscitation. Early aggressive fluid therapy among acute pancreatitis patients with predicted mild severity appears to have the highest benefit, whereas aggressive resuscitation in patients with predicted severe disease might be futile and deleterious. Lactated Ringer's solution is the preferred fluid type based on animal studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses. There is a wide variation of fluid resuscitation approaches in current guideline recommendations, quality indicators, and worldwide practice patterns.

SUMMARY

There is lack of high-quality data that supports the use of early aggressive fluid resuscitation. Large, well designed, multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the optimal timing, fluid type, volume, rate, and duration of fluid resuscitation in acute pancreatitis.

Clinical practice of acute pancreatitis in Japan: An analysis of nationwide epidemiological survey in 2016

BACKGROUND

To provide updates on clinical practice of acute pancreatitis (AP) in Japan, we conducted a nationwide epidemiological survey.

METHODS

This study consisted of a two-staged survey; the number of AP patients was estimated by the first-stage survey and their clinical features were examined by the second-stage survey. We surveyed AP patients who had visited hospitals in 2016.

RESULTS

The estimated number of AP patients in 2016 was 78,450, with an overall incidence of 61.8 per 100,000 persons. We obtained detailed clinical information of 2994 AP patients, including 706 (23.6%) severe cases classified according to the Japanese severity criteria. The male-to-female sex ratio was 2.0, and the mean age at onset was 59.9 years in males and 66.5 years in females. Alcohol was the most common etiology (42.8%) in males and gallstones in females (37.7%). The AP-associated mortality was 6.1% in severe AP cases, which was decreased by 40% compared to the 2011 survey. Antibiotics were administered to most cases, with carbapenem being frequently used. Enteral nutrition was given in 31.8% of severe cases, but majority cases received after 48 h. Among the 107 patients who received intervention for walled-off necrosis, five patients received surgery-first approach, 66 received endoscopic ultrasound-guided transluminal drainage, and 19 underwent step-up approach.

CONCLUSIONS

We clarified the current status of AP in Japan including the significant reduction of mortality in severe cases, shift to endoscopic approaches for walled-off necrosis, and poor compliance of the recommendations in the guidelines including management of enteral nutrition and antibiotic administration.

Antibiotic therapy in acute pancreatitis: From global overuse to evidence based recommendations

BACKGROUND

Unwarranted administration of antibiotics in acute pancreatitis presents a global challenge. The clinical reasoning behind the misuse is poorly understood. Our aim was to investigate current clinical practices and develop recommendations that guide clinicians in prescribing antibiotic treatment in acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

Four methods were used. 1) Systematic data collection was performed to summarize current evidence; 2) a retrospective questionnaire was developed to understand the current global clinical practice; 3) five years of prospectively collected data were analysed to identify the clinical parameters used by medical teams in the decision making process, and finally; 4) the UpToDate Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was applied to provide evidence based recommendations for healthcare professionals.

RESULTS

The systematic literature search revealed no consensus on the start of AB therapy in patients with no bacterial culture test. Retrospective data collection on 9728 patients from 22 countries indicated a wide range (31-82%) of antibiotic use frequency in AP. Analysis of 56 variables from 962 patients showed that clinicians initiate antibiotic therapy based on increased WBC and/or elevated CRP, lipase and amylase levels. The above mentioned four laboratory parameters showed no association with infection in the early phase of acute pancreatitis. Instead, procalcitonin levels proved to be a better biomarker of early infection. Patients with suspected infection because of fever had no benefit from antibiotic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors formulated four consensus statements to urge reduction of unjustified antibiotic treatment in acute pancreatitis and to use procalcitonin rather than WBC or CRP as biomarkers to guide decision-making.

Clinical management and outcomes of acute pancreatitis: Identifying areas for quality improvement in a tertiary Asian setting

BACKGROUND

This study aims to review the clinical management of patients with acute pancreatitis in a tertiary institute in Singapore, and to identify areas qualiy improvement based on validation against the recommendations in the IAP/APA and the Japanese guidelines.

METHODS

391 patients from a prospective electronic database were included and reviewed for compliance to the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP)/American Pancreatic Association (APA) guidelines (2013) and the Japanase Guidelines (2015).

RESULTS

The 90 day mortality was 8.4% for moderately severe and 11.9% for severe pancreatitis. The accuracy of SIRS in predicting severe acute pancreatitis on admission was 72.1% and at 48 h 80.8%. Only 61.1% patients had ultrasound scan during their admission of whom 32.9% had it within 24 h of admission. 18.3% patients with initial diagnosis of idiopathic pancreatitis had EUS. 50% received Ringer lactate for initial fluid resuscitation. 38.7% received antibiotics as prophylaxis. 21.4% with severe acute pancreatitis had early enteral nutrition. Only 21.4% patients with biliary pancreatitis had index admission cholecystectomy.

CONCLUSION

The compliance to existing guidelines for management of acute pancreatitis is variable. Identifying gaps and implementing measures to address them allows for continued improvement in the management of patients with acute pancreatitis.

Effect of enteral nutrition suspension on immune function in severe acute pancreatitis patients with intestinal bacterial translocation

AIM

To observe the effect of enteral nutrition suspension (TPF-DM) on the immune function of acute severe pancreatitis patients with intestinal flora translocation.

METHODS

One hundred and ten acute severe pancreatitis patients with intestinal flora translocation treated at Jiuli Songyuan District People's Liberation Army No.117 Hospital were randomly divided into either a control group or a TPF-DM group (n = 55 each). The control group was treated with conventional therapy, while the TPF-DM group were treated with TPF-DM. The levels of inflammatory indexes [white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], biochemical indicators [albumin (ALB), amylase (AMY), and endothelin (ET)], and immune markers (IgG, IgM, and IgA) were recorded at admission, 7 and 14 d after treatment. Time to abdominal pain disappearance, hospitalization time, hospitalization costs, and mortality rate were also compared in the two groups.

RESULTS

At admission, there was no significant difference in the levels of WBC, CRP, ALB, AMY, ET, IgG, IgM, or IgA between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 7 d and 14 d after treatment, the WBC and CRP levels of the two groups showed a decreasing trend (P < 0.05). The WBC and CRP levels at 7 and 14 d after treatment were significantly lower in the TPF-DM group than in the control group (P < 0.05). At 7 d and 14 d after treatment, ALB showed a decreasing trend in both groups, and the AMY and ET levels showed a trend of increasing (P < 0.05). The ALB levels in the TPF-DM group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 7 d and 14 d after treatment, and the levels of AMY and ET were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the time to disappearance of abdominal pain, hospital stay, hospitalization costs, or mortality between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 7 d and 14 d after treatment, the levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA in both groups showed a trend of increase (P < 0.05), and the levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA at 7 and 14 d after treatment in the TPF-DM group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

TPF-DM can effectively treat severe acute pancreatitis patients with intestinal bacterial translocation by improving their inflammatory status and immune function.

S100A9 gene silencing inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by blocking the IL-17 signalling pathway in mice with acute pancreatitis

The study aimed to investigate whether S100A9 gene silencing mediating the IL‐17 pathway affected the release of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in acute pancreatitis (AP). Kunming mice were assigned to the normal, AP, AP + negative control (NC), AP + shRNA, AP + IgG and AP + anti IL‐17 groups. ELISA was applied to measure expressions of AMY, LDH, CRP, TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐8. The cells were distributed into the control, blank, NC, shRNA1 and shRNA2 groups. MTT assay, flow cytometry, RT‐qPCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis, and expressions of S100A9, TLR4, RAGE, IL‐17, HMGB1 and S100A12 in tissues and cells. Compared with the normal group, the AP group displayed increased expressions of AMY, LDH, CRP, TNFα, IL‐6, IL‐8, S100A9, TLR4, RAGE, IL‐17, HMGB1 and S100A12. The AP + shRNA and AP + anti IL‐17 groups exhibited an opposite trend. The in vivo results: Compare with the control group, the blank, NC, shRNA1 and shRNA2 groups demonstrated increased expressions of S100A9, TLR4, RAGE, IL‐17, HMGB1 and S100A12, as well as cell apoptosis and cells at the G1 phase, with reduced proliferation. Compared with the blank and NC groups, the shRNA1 and shRNA2 groups had declined expressions of S100A9, TLR4, RAGE, IL‐17, HMGB1 and S100A12, as well as cell apoptosis and cells at the G1 phase, with elevated proliferation. The results indicated that S100A9 gene silencing suppressed the release of pro‐inflammatory cytokines through blocking of the IL‐17 pathway in AP.