Timing, distribution, and microbiology of infectious complications after necrotizing pancreatitis

Infected pancreatic necrosis-Current trends in management

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis is a common gastrointestinal disease requiring hospitalization and multiple interventions resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. Development of infection in such necrotic tissue is one of the sentinel events in natural history of necrotizing pancreatitis. Infected necrosis develops in around 1/3rd of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis resulting in higher mortality. So, timely diagnosis of infected necrosis using clinical, laboratory and radiological parameters is of utmost importance. Though initial conservative management with antibiotics and organ support system is effective in some patients, a majority of patients still requires drainage of the collection by various modalities. Mode of drainage of infected pancreatic necrosis depends on various factors such as the clinical status of the patient, location and characteristics of collection and availability of the expertise and includes endoscopic, percutaneous and minimally invasive or open surgical approaches. Endoscopic drainage has proved to be a game changer in the management of infected pancreatic necrosis in the last decade with rapid evolution in procedure techniques, development of novel metal stent and dedicated necrosectomy devices for better clinical outcome. Despite widespread adoption of endoscopic transluminal drainage of pancreatic necrosis with excellent clinical outcomes, peripheral collections are still not amenable for endoscopic drainage and in such scenario, the role of percutaneous catheter drainage or minimally invasive surgical necrosectomy cannot be understated. In a nutshell, the management of patients with infected pancreatic necrosis involves a multi-disciplinary team including a gastroenterologist, an intensivist, an interventional radiologist and a surgeon for optimum clinical outcomes.

Unraveling the immunological landscape in acute pancreatitis progression to sepsis: insights from a Mendelian randomization study on immune cell traits

Background

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe digestive system disorder with a significant risk of progressing to sepsis, a major cause of mortality. Unraveling the immunological pathways in AP is essential for developing effective treatments, particularly understanding the role of specific immune cell traits in this progression.

Methods

Employing a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) approach, this study first examined the causal relationship between AP and 731 immune cell traits to identify those significantly associated with AP. Subsequently, we explored the causal associations between 731 immune cell traits and sepsis. The analysis utilized extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary datasets, with a focus on identifying common immune cell traits with statistically significant causal associations between AP and sepsis.

Results

Our investigation identified 44 immune cell traits unidirectionally associated with AP and 36 traits unidirectionally associated with sepsis. Among these, CD127 on CD28+ CD45RA- CD8+ T cells emerged as a common mediator, accounting for 5.296% of the increased risk of sepsis in AP patients. This finding highlights the significant role of specific memory CD8+ T cells in the pathophysiology of AP and its progression to sepsis.

Conclusion

This study elucidates the critical role of specific immune cell traits, particularly CD127hi memory CD8+ T cells, in the progression of AP to sepsis. Our findings provide a foundation for future research into targeted immune-modulatory therapies, potentially improving patient outcomes in AP-related sepsis and offering new insights into the complex immunological dynamics of this condition.

Association of Cardiovascular Disease and Pancreatitis: What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

(1) Background: Recent studies suggest an association between pancreatitis and cardiovascular disease. This article aims to review the available evidence linking cardiovascular disease with acute and chronic pancreatitis. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted on the PubMed/MEDLINE database from inception to April 2022 using Medical Subject Heading and keywords related to pancreatitis and cardiovascular disease. The search was limited to English-language literature involving human subjects, and various study types, including observational studies, case-control studies, cohort studies, and clinical trials, were screened for eligibility. Following data extraction, the authors conducted a narrative synthesis of the studies. (3) Results: Longitudinal studies indicate that a history of acute pancreatitis is associated with an increased risk of acute atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and acute coronary syndrome. Elevated triglyceride levels (>2000 mg/dL) have a temporal relationship with acute pancreatitis. Cross-sectional studies have shown that acute pancreatitis is associated with cardiac injury during the acute phase. Based on longitudinal studies, chronic pancreatitis is associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular diseases. However, data regarding the relationship between chronic pancreatitis and myocardial infarction are conflicting. (4) Conclusions: Based on the available evidence, having a history of acute pancreatitis appears to increase the risk of acute atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether chronic pancreatitis is associated with cardiovascular disease, and no definitive studies have yielded conflicting results.

Overuse and Misuse of Antibiotics and the Clinical Consequence in Necrotizing Pancreatitis: An Observational Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVE

The use and impact of antibiotics and the impact of causative pathogens on clinical outcomes in a large real-world cohort covering the entire clinical spectrum of necrotizing pancreatitis remain unknown.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

International guidelines recommend broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients with suspected infected necrotizing pancreatitis. This recommendation is not based on high-level evidence and clinical effects are unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is a post-hoc analysis of a nationwide prospective cohort of 401 patients with necrotizing pancreatitis in 15 Dutch centers (2010-2019). Across the patient population from the time of admission to 6 months postadmission, multivariable regression analyses were used to analyze (1) microbiological cultures and (2) antibiotic use.

RESULTS

Antibiotics were started in 321/401 patients (80%) administered at a median of 5 days (P25-P75: 1-13) after admission. The median duration of antibiotics was 27 days (P25-P75: 15-48). In 221/321 patients (69%) infection was not proven by cultures at the time of initiation of antibiotics. Empirical antibiotics for infected necrosis provided insufficient coverage in 64/128 patients (50%) with a pancreatic culture. Prolonged antibiotic therapy was associated with Enterococcus infection (OR 1.08 [95% CI 1.03-1.16], P =0.01). Enterococcus infection was associated with new/persistent organ failure (OR 3.08 [95% CI 1.35-7.29], P <0.01) and mortality (OR 5.78 [95% CI 1.46-38.73], P =0.03). Yeast was found in 30/147 cultures (20%).

DISCUSSION

In this nationwide study of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis, the vast majority received antibiotics, typically administered early in the disease course and without a proven infection. Empirical antibiotics were inappropriate based on pancreatic cultures in half the patients. Future clinical research and practice must consider antibiotic selective pressure due to prolonged therapy and coverage of Enterococcus and yeast. Improved guidelines on antimicrobial diagnostics and therapy could reduce inappropriate antibiotic use and improve clinical outcomes.

Amphipathic Liponecrosis Impairs Bacterial Clearance and Causes Infection During Sterile Inflammation

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Although transient bacteremia is common during dental and endoscopic procedures, infections developing during sterile diseases like acute pancreatitis (AP) can have grave consequences. We examined how impaired bacterial clearance may cause this transition.

METHODS

Blood samples from patients with AP, normal controls, and rodents with pancreatitis or those administered different nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) were analyzed for albumin-unbound NEFAs, microbiome, and inflammatory cell injury. Macrophage uptake of unbound NEFAs using a novel coumarin tracer were done and the downstream effects-NEFA-membrane phospholipid (phosphatidylcholine) interactions-were studied on isothermal titration calorimetry.

RESULTS

Patients with infected AP had higher circulating unsaturated NEFAs; unbound NEFAs, including linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA); higher bacterial 16S DNA; mitochondrial DNA; altered β-diversity; enrichment in Pseudomonadales; and increased annexin V-positive myeloid (CD14) and CD3-positive T cells on admission. These, and increased circulating dead inflammatory cells, were also noted in rodents with unbound, unsaturated NEFAs. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed progressively stronger unbound LA interactions with aqueous media, phosphatidylcholine, cardiolipin, and albumin. Unbound NEFAs were taken into protein-free membranes, cells, and mitochondria, inducing voltage-dependent anion channel oligomerization, reducing ATP, and impairing phagocytosis. These were reversed by albumin. In vivo, unbound LA and OA increased bacterial loads and impaired phagocytosis, causing infection. LA and OA were more potent for these amphipathic interactions than the hydrophobic palmitic acid.

CONCLUSIONS

Release of stored LA and OA can increase their circulating unbound levels and cause amphipathic liponecrosis of immune cells via uptake by membrane phospholipids. This impairs bacterial clearance and causes infection during sterile inflammation.

Time to think prime times for treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis: Pendulum conundrum

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) typically develop as local complications of acute pancreatitis and complicate the clinical course of patients with acute pancreatitis and potentially fatal clinical outcomes. Interventions are required in cases of symptomatic walled-off necrosis (WON) (matured PFCs with necrosis) and pancreatic pseudocysts (matured PFCs without necrosis). In the management of necrotizing pancreatitis and WON, endoscopic ultrasound-guided transluminal drainage combined with on-demand endoscopic necrosectomy (i.e. the step-up approach) is increasingly used as a less invasive treatment modality compared with a surgical or percutaneous approach. Through the substantial research efforts and development of specific devices and stents (e.g. lumen-apposing metal stents), endoscopic techniques of PFC management have been standardized to some extent. However, there has been no consensus about timing of carrying out each treatment step; for instance, it is uncertain when direct endoscopic necrosectomy should be initiated and finished and when a plastic or metal stent should be removed following clinical treatment success. Despite emerging evidence for the effectiveness of noninterventional supportive treatment (e.g. antibiotics, nutritional support, irrigation of the cavity), there has been only limited data on the timing of starting and stopping the treatment. Large studies are required to optimize the timing of those treatment options and improve clinical outcomes of patients with PFCs. In this review, we summarize the current available evidence on the indications and timing of interventional and supportive treatment modalities for this patient population and discussed clinical unmet needs that should be addressed in future research.

Failure of liposomal amphotericin B therapy in patients with severe pancreatitis complicated by Candida lusitaniae infection

Candida lusitaniae is an uncommon pathogen that accounts for approximately 1% of patients with candidiasis. In this report, we present the case of a 24-year-old woman with severe pancreatitis who was emergently admitted to Northern Yokohama Hospital. We started treating the pancreatitis and infections according to her culture results. However, her symptoms, accompanied by a necrotic pancreas, did not improve. Finally, C. lusitaniae was detected in the blood and catheter samples. We started antifungal treatment according to the culture results, but the patient died. Generally, the mortality rate for acute pancreatitis ranges from 3% for patients with interstitial edematous pancreatitis to 17% for those who develop pancreatic necrosis. Although we chose appropriate antibiotics and antifungal agents based on the culture results, the treatments failed. Early detection, sufficient doses of antimicrobials and frequent monitoring using sample culture are crucial because infection control may be inadequate, especially in tissues with low blood flow, such as necrotic tissues.

The optimal timing and intervention to reduce mortality for necrotizing pancreatitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A series of randomized controlled trials have investigated the efficacy and safety of different timings of interventions and methods of intervention. However, the optimal treatment strategy is not yet clear.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Cochrane Library until November 30, 2022. A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis were performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Trials comparing different treatment strategies for necrotizing pancreatitis were included. This study was registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022364409) to ensure transparency.

RESULTS

We analyzed a total of 10 studies involving 570 patients and 8 treatment strategies. Although no statistically significant differences were identified comparing odds ratios, trends were confirmed by the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) scores. The interventions with a low rate of mortality were delayed surgery (DS), delayed surgical step-up approach (DSU) and delayed endoscopic step-up approach (DEU), while the interventions with a low rate of major complications were DSU, DEU and DS. According to the clustered ranking plot, DSU performed the best overall in reducing mortality and major complications, while DD performed the worst. Analysis of the secondary endpoints confirmed the superiority of DEU and DSU in terms of individual components of major complications (organ failure, pancreatic fistula, bleeding, and visceral organ or enterocutaneous fistula), exocrine insufficiency, endocrine insufficiency and length of stay. Overall, DSU was superior to other interventions.

CONCLUSION

DSU was the optimal treatment strategy for necrotizing pancreatitis. Drainage alone should be avoided in clinical practice. Any interventions should be postponed for at least 4 weeks if possible. The step-up approach was preferred.

Characteristics and risk factors for extrapancreatic infection in patients with moderate or severe acute pancreatitis

Background

How to detect acute pancreatitis (AP) complicated with infection early and how to arrange the treatment time are still the main problems in the world. There are few reports on the potential relationship between extrapancreatic infections and AP. The purpose of this article was to investigate the characteristics, influencing factors and prognosis of extrapancreatic infection in AP patients with modified Marshall score ≥2 on admission.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed AP admitted to emergency intensive care unit of Ruijin hospital within 72 h of onset from September 2019 to December 2021. In addition to the patients' baseline data, sites of infection and microorganisms outside the pancreas were collected. Microbial cultures were used to identify infections of the respiratory tract, blood, abdominal cavity, biliary tract, urinary tract and clostridium difficile in feces.

Results

144 patients with AP were included, of which extrapancreatic infection accounted for 40.28%. C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, oxygenation index, modified Marshall score, BISAP score and APACHE II score were significantly increased in the extrapancreatic infection group. The risk factors of extrapancreatic infection included blood urea nitrogen, Modified Marshall score and duration of mechanical ventilation. The positive rates of pathogenic bacteria in sputum culture, blood culture, ascites culture and bile culture were significantly higher than those in the 1-3 days after admission. The infection begins to worsen as early as 4-7 days after the onset of symptoms. Extrapancreatic infection is associated with pancreatic necrosis, the rate of laparotomy, length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion

Our research has confirmed the need to prevent and monitor extrapancreatic infection in the early stage.

Characteristics and Incidence of Colon Complication in Necrotizing pancreatitis: A Propensity Score-Matched Study

Objective

To clarify the incidence of colonic complications in patients with NP and their impact on prognosis.

Methods

The clinical data of NP patients admitted to the Department of General Surgery of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2014 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of colonic complications, and the clinical prognosis of the two groups was analyzed after matching using a 1:1 propensity score, The primary study endpoint was patient mortality during hospitalization. Data are reported as median (range) or percentage of patients (%).

Results

A total of 306 patients with NP were included in this study, and the incidence of colonic complications was 12.4%, including 15 cases of colonic obstruction, 17 cases of colonic fistula, and 9 cases of colonic hemorrhage. Before matching, patients in the colonic group had severe admissions and poor clinical outcomes (P<0.05). After matching, the baseline data and clinical characteristics at admission were comparable between the two groups of patients. In terms of clinical outcomes, although the mortality was similar in the two groups (P>0.05), but patients in the colonic group were more likely to have multiorgan failure, length of nutrition support, number of minimally invasive interventions, number of extra-pancreatic infections, length of ICU stay and total length of stay were significantly higher than those of patients in the group without colonic complications (P<0.05). During long-term follow-up, patients in the colonic group were more likely to develop recurrent pancreatitis.

Conclusion

About 12.4% of NP patients developed colonic complications, and after PSM it was found that colonic complications only led to a longer hospital stay and an increased number of clinical interventions in NP patients and did not increase the mortality.

Risk Factors and Outcomes of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Infection in Infected Pancreatic Necrosis Patients

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) is increasing. Twenty percent of AP patients with developing necrotizing pancreatitis (NP), while ~40-70% of NP patients develop potentially fatal infectious complications. When patients are suspected or confirmed infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN), antibiotics should be administered timeously to control the infection, but long-term use of antibiotics can lead to multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) infection and eventually to increased mortality. Our study aimed to determine the incidence of MDRB infection and evaluate the risk factors for MDRB infection in IPN patients.

METHODS

Clinical data of IPN patients admitted to the general surgery department of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

IPN patients (n = 267) were assigned to MDRB infection (n = 124) and non-MDRB infection (n = 143) groups. On admission, patients in the MDRB group had a higher modified computer tomography severity index (CTSI) score (P < 0.05), pancreatic necrosis degree, and PCT level (P < 0.05) than those in the non-MDRB group, and the prognosis of patients in MDRB group was poor. The most common gram-negative bacteria were Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 117), the most common gram-positive bacteria were Enterococcus faecium (n = 98), and the most common fungal infection was Candida albicans (n = 47). Multivariable analysis showed that complications of EPI (OR: 4.116, 95% CI: 1.381-12.271, P = 0.011), procalcitonin (PCT) level at admission (OR: 2.728, 95% CI: 1.502-4.954, P = 0.001), and degree of pancreatic necrosis (OR: 2.741, 95% CI: 1.109-6.775, P = 0.029) were independent risk factors for MDRB infection in IPN patients.

CONCLUSION

We identified common infectious strains and risk factors for MDRB infection in IPN patients.

Impact of multiple drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial bacteraemia on infected pancreatic necrosis patients

Introduction

Multiple drug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial (MDR-GNB) bacteraemia poses a serious threat to patients in hospital. Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) patients are a vulnerable population to infectious complications during hospitalization. This study aims to evaluate the impact of MDR Gram-negative bacteraemia on IPN patients.

Methods

A case-control study was performed with data collected from 1 January 2016 to 1 July 2022 in a Chinese tertiary teaching hospital. Clinical data of the IPN patients with MDR-GNB bacteraemia were analyzed and compared to those of a matched control group without MDR-GNB bacteraemia (case-control ratio of 1:2). Comparisons were performed between with/without MDR-GNB bacteraemia and different severities of acute pancreatitis (AP). Independent predictors of overall mortality were identified via univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses.

Results

MDR-GNB bacteraemia was related to a higher mortality rate (62.5% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001). Severe AP combined with MDR-GNB bacteraemia further increased mortality up to 81.3% (p = 0.025). MDR-GNB bacteraemia (odds ratio (OR) = 8.976, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.805 -44.620, p = 0.007) and severe AP (OR = 9.414, 95% CI = 1.742 -50.873, p = 0.009) were independent predictors of overall mortality. MDR- Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common causative pathogen.

Conclusion

A higher mortality rate in IPN patients was related to MDR-GNB bacteraemia and further increased in severe AP patients combined with MDR-GNB bacteraemia.

Evidence-Based Approach to the Surgical Management of Acute Pancreatitis

Background  Acute pancreatitis is a significant challenge to health services. Remarkable progress has been made in the last decade in optimizing its management.

Methods  This review is a comprehensive assessment of 7 guidelines employed in current clinical practice with an appraisal of the underlying evidence, including 15 meta-analyses/systematic reviews, 16 randomized controlled trials, and 31 cohort studies.

Results  Key tenets of early management of acute pancreatitis include severity stratification based on the degree of organ failure and early goal-directed fluid resuscitation. Rigorous determination of etiology reduces the risk of recurrence. Early enteral nutrition and consideration of epidural analgesia have been pioneered in recent years with promising results. Indications for invasive intervention are becoming increasingly refined. The definitive indications for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in acute pancreatitis are associated with cholangitis and common bile duct obstruction. The role of open surgical necrosectomy has diminished with the development of a minimally invasive step-up necrosectomy protocol. Increasing use of endoscopic ultrasound–guided intervention in the management of pancreatic necrosis has helped reduce pancreatic fistula rates and hospital stay.

Conclusion  The optimal approach to surgical management of complicated pancreatitis depends on patient physiology and disease anatomy, in addition to the available resources and expertise. This is best achieved with a multidisciplinary approach. This review provides a distillation of the recommendations of clinical guidelines and critical discussion of the evidence that informs them and presents an algorithmic approach to key areas of patient management.

Early versus delayed interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

Interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis are generally postponed until 4 weeks after the onset of acute pancreatitis, but there remains controversy about whether we should always wait >4 weeks or can intervene early when necessary. This meta‐analysis was conducted to evaluate treatment outcomes of necrotizing pancreatitis according to the cut‐off defined in the revised Atlanta classification (≤4 vs. >4 weeks).

Methods

Using PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane database, we identified clinical studies published until March 2022 with data comparing outcomes of early and delayed interventions of necrotizing pancreatitis. We pooled data on adverse events, mortality, technical and clinical success rates, and needs for necrosectomy and open surgery, using the random‐effects model.

Results

We identified 11 retrospective studies, including 775 patients with early interventions and 725 patients with delayed interventions. Patients with early interventions tended to be complicated by organ failure. The rate of adverse events was comparable (OR 1.41, 95% CI 0.66–3.01; p = 0.38) but the rate of mortality was significantly higher (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.21–2.40; p < 0.01) in early interventions. Technical success rates were similarly high but clinical success rates tended to be low (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.15–1.00; p = 0.05) in early interventions, though not statistically significant. Pooled ORs for necrosectomy and open surgery were 2.14 and 1.23, respectively.

Conclusions

Early interventions for necrotizing pancreatitis were associated with higher mortality rates and did not reduce adverse events or improve clinical success. However, our results should be confirmed in prospective studies.

Massive emphysematous pancreatitis associated with duodenal microperforation

Emphysematous pancreatitis (EP) is a rare variant of necrotizing pancreatitis which may result from bacterial superinfection of pancreatic tissue with gas-forming organisms such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Gas formation is a consequence of mixed acid fermentation by these species, which may colonize the inflamed pancreatic tissue by intestinal translocation, hematogenous spread or direct seeding by penetrating ulcer. Previously described cases of EP associated with penetrating ulcer are exceedingly rare and typified by focal emphysema confined to the site of fistulation, often the head of pancreas. We present a case of massive emphysematous pancreatitis with pseudoaneurysm involvement and associated duodenal microperforation. Furthermore, we describe the successful operative management of this patient, who remains well in the community.

Guidelines for the management of patients with severe acute pancreatitis, 2021

OBJECTIVE

To provide guidelines for the management of the intensive care patient with severe acute pancreatitis.

DESIGN

A consensus committee of 22 experts was convened. A formal conflict-of-interest (COI) policy was developed at the beginning of the process and enforced throughout. The entire guideline construction process was conducted independently of any industrial funding (i.e. pharmaceutical, medical devices). The authors were required to follow the rules of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to guide assessment of quality of evidence. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations in the presence of low-quality evidence were emphasised.

METHODS

The most recent SFAR and SNFGE guidelines on the management of the patient with severe pancreatitis were published in 2001. The literature now is sufficient for an update. The committee studied 14 questions within 3 fields. Each question was formulated in a PICO (Patients Intervention Comparison Outcome) format and the relevant evidence profiles were produced. The literature review and recommendations were made according to the GRADE® methodology.

RESULTS

The experts' synthesis work and their application of the GRADE® method resulted in 24 recommendations. Among the formalised recommendations, 8 have high levels of evidence (GRADE 1+/-) and 12 have moderate levels of evidence (GRADE 2+/-). For 4 recommendations, the GRADE method could not be applied, resulting in expert opinions. Four questions did not find any response in the literature. After one round of scoring, strong agreement was reached for all the recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

There was strong agreement among experts for 24 recommendations to improve practices for the management of intensive care patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Prognostic factors associated with development of infected necrosis in patients with acute necrotizing or severe pancreatitis-A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Acute pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentation and illness severity. An infection of pancreatic necrosis (IPN) results in a more than twofold increase in mortality risk as compared with patients with sterile necrosis. We sought to identify prognostic factors for the development of IPN among adult patients with severe or necrotizing pancreatitis.

METHODS

We conducted this prognostic review in accordance with systematic review methodology guidelines. We searched six databases from inception through March 21, 2021. We included English language studies describing prognostic factors associated with the development of IPN. We pooled unadjusted odds ratio (uOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for prognostic factors using a random-effects model. We assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool and certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

We included 31 observational studies involving 5,210 patients. Factors with moderate or higher certainty of association with increased IPN risk include older age (uOR, 2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-3.45, moderate certainty), gallstone etiology (aOR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.36-4.04, high certainty), greater than 50% necrosis of the pancreas (aOR, 3.61; 95% CI, 2.15-6.04, high certainty), delayed enteral nutrition (aOR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26-3.47, moderate certainty), multiple or persistent organ failure (aOR, 11.71; 95% CI, 4.97-27.56, high certainty), and invasive mechanical ventilation (uOR, 12.24; 95% CI, 2.28-65.67, high certainty).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis confirms the association between several clinical early prognostic factors and the risk of IPN development among patients with severe or necrotizing pancreatitis. These findings provide the foundation for the development of an IPN risk stratification tool to guide more targeted clinical trials for prevention or early intervention strategies.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Systematic review and meta-analysis, Level IV.

How to Identify the Indications for Early Intervention in Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis Patients: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study

Aim

To explore the indications for early intervention in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) and evaluate the effect of early intervention on the prognosis of ANP patients.

Methods

The clinical data of patients with ANP who underwent general surgery at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2020, were collected retrospectively. The patients were followed-up every 6 months after discharge, and the last follow-up date was June 30, 2021.

Results

A total of 98 patients with ANP were included in the study. They were divided into an early group (n= 43) and a delayed group (n = 55) according to the first percutaneous drainage (PCD) intervention time (≤ 4 weeks or &gt; 4 weeks). Body temperature, inflammatory factor levels, and the number of patients with persistent organ failure (POF) were higher in the early group than in the delayed group. After the minimally invasive intervention, the body temperature and inflammatory factors of the two groups decreased significantly, most patients with POF improved, and the number of patients with reversal of POF in the early group was higher than that in the delayed group. Although the patients in the early group required more surgical intervention than those in the delayed group, there was no significant difference in mortality, incidence of postoperative complications, total length of hospital stay, or operation cost between the two groups. During long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in the incidence of short-term and long-term complications and overall survival between the two groups.

Conclusions

Compared to patients in the delayed group, early intervention did not affect the prognosis of patients with ANP. It may be more suitable for patients with ANP with deterioration [such as POF or infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN)].

Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis: A Harbinger of Infection in Peri/Pancreatic Necrotic Collections

OBJECTIVE

Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is associated with poor outcomes. The present study looked at incidence of infection and predictors, if any, in these collections.

METHODS

This prospective observational study was done between July 2019 and October 2020. Symptomatic patients of acute necrotic collections and walled-off necrosis of pancreas requiring drainage were included. Necrotic fluid and blood were analyzed for growth of organisms.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients were included. The mean age was 36.8 years (standard deviation, 11.5 years). Male-female ratio was 4:1. Alcohol was the most common etiology. Infection was noted in 44 of the 62 patients (70.9%) and bacteremia noted in 23 of the 62 patients (37%). Escherichia coli was the most common organism in necrotic collections and Staphylococcus was the most common organism isolated from blood culture. The patients with Modified Computed Tomography-Severity Index of 8 of higher ( P < 0.001) had significant association with IPN but not with bacteremia. However, splanchnic vein thrombosis ( P = 0.022) was significantly associated with development of IPN as well as bacteremia on both univariate and multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus were the most common organisms grown from necrotic collections and blood respectively. Presence of splanchnic vein thrombosis was a significant factor for development of IPN and bacteremia on univariate as well as multivariate analysis.

Impact of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections on acute pancreatitis patients

BACKGROUND

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections present great challenges in clinical practices with high mortality. The aim of this study is to identify the impact of CRAB infections on acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHODS

A case-control study was performed via collecting data from March 1st, 2016 to August 1st, 2020 in two comprehensive teaching hospital. Clinical data of the CRAB-positive AP patients were analyzed and compared to a matched control group (case-control ratio of 1:1). Comparisons were preformed between with/without CRAB infections and multiple organ failure (MOF), respectively. Independent risk factors of overall mortality were determined via univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

CRAB infections were associated with higher mortality (49.2% vs. 23.0%, P < 0.01). CRAB combined with MOF increased a mortality up to 90% (P < 0.01). MOF (Odds ratio (OR) = 21.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.26-87.80, P < 0.01), CRAB infections (OR = 3.58, 95%CI = 1.24-10.37, P = 0.02) and hemorrhage (OR = 3.70, 95%CI = 1.21-11.28, P = 0.02) were independent risk factors of overall mortality. Lung was the most common site of strains (37 of 82). CRAB strains were highly resistant (>60%) to ten of eleven common antibiotics, except for tigecycline (28%).

CONCLUSION

High mortality rate in AP patients was associated with CRAB infections and further increased when CRAB infections combined with MOF.

Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is an Ideal Imaging Method to Detect Infection in Pancreatic Collections: A Brief Primer for the Gastroenterologists

Background: The development of infection in pancreatitis significantly increases the mortality rate up to 100% in the absence of any intervention. Therefore, it is extremely important to diagnose these cases at an early stage. The objectives of this study were to assess the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) and diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DW-MRI) in the diagnosis of infection in pancreatic collections.

Materials and methods: Prospective observational study of abdominal collections due to pancreatitis that underwent both CT and DW-MRI from August 2018 to July 2020 were enrolled in the study. The collections were analysed for infections - air foci in CT and diffusion restriction on DW-MRI.

Results: Of the 39 patients recruited in the study, infected collections were present in 17, and 22 cases had sterile collections. On CT, air foci within the collection were present only in seven of the cases in our study (sensitivity 35%, specificity 95.4%, PPV 85.7%, NPV 65.6%). DW-MRI detected infection in all 17 cases (sensitivity 100%, specificity 72.7%, PPV 74%, NPV 100%).

Discussion: Thirteen out of 17 collections suspicious for infection on DW-MR showed microbiological growth on culture examination. We believe that this is likely due to the patient's prior antibiotic use, which might have altered the micro-environment or inflammatory cell and bacterial content of the collection.

Conclusion: DW-MRI is complementary and superior to CT in detecting infection in pancreatic collections. CT may be used to detect disease burden, extent and vascular complication.

Assessment of Prophylactic Carbapenem Antibiotics Administration for Severe Acute Pancreatitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains a debatable issue. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy of prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP.

METHODS

This meta-analysis of prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics for SAP was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library up to February 2021. The related bibliographies were manually searched. The primary outcomes involved infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis, mortality, complications, infections, and organ failure.

RESULTS

Seven articles comprised 5 randomized controlled trials and 2 retrospective observational studies, including 3,864 SAP participants. Prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of infections (odds ratio [OR]: 0.27; p = 0.03) and complications (OR: 0.48; p = 0.009). Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was demonstrated in the incidence of infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis (OR: 0.74; p = 0.24), mortality (OR: 0.69; p = 0.17), extrapancreatic infection (OR: 0.64, p = 0.54), pulmonary infection (OR: 1.23; p = 0.69), blood infection (OR: 0.60; p = 0.35), urinary tract infection (OR: 0.97; p = 0.97), pancreatic pseudocyst (OR: 0.59; p = 0.28), fluid collection (OR: 0.91; p = 0.76), organ failure (OR: 0.63; p = 0.19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR: 0.80; p = 0.61), surgical intervention (OR: 0.97; p = 0.93), dialysis (OR: 2.34; p = 0.57), use of respirator or ventilator (OR: 1.90; p = 0.40), intensive care unit treatment (OR: 2.97; p = 0.18), and additional antibiotics (OR: 0.59; p = 0.28) between the experimental and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

It is not recommended to administer routine prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP.

Predictors of mortality in acute pancreatitis complicated with multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection

Background

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, from pancreatic infections to bloodstream infections, influence the mortality of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) on the condition of limited antibiotic choices. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictor of mortality among AP patients complicated with MDR-K. pneumoniae infections.

Methods

Seventy-one AP patients who occurred MDR-K. pneumoniae infections from August 1st, 2016 to August 1st, 2020 were enrolled. MDR-K. pneumoniae was defined as the K. pneumoniae strain non-susceptible to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial categories. MDR-K. pneumoniae isolates were confirmed by Vitek-2 system. Antibiotic susceptibility test was carried out using a micro broth dilution method. Clinical characteristics and drug-resistance rates were retrospectively reviewed, and the predictors of mortality were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

The mortality rate of AP patients complicated with MDR-K. pneumoniae infections reached 46.5% (33 of 71), and pancreas (n = 53) was the most common site of MDR-K pneumoniae strains. The drug resistance rates of MDR-K. pneumoniae were high to 11 of 12 common antibiotics (more than 50.0%) except of tigecycline (23.9%). The predictor independently associated with mortality was septic shock (hazard ratio 2.959, 95% confidence intervals 1.396 – 6.272, P = 0.005).

Conclusions

More attention should be paid for pancreatic MDR-K. pneumoniae infections among AP patients The predictor for mortality of AP patients complicated with MDR-K. pneumoniae infection is septic shock. Therefore, further clinical investigations should focus on areas against septic shock.

Predictors of Mortality and Drug Resistance Among Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae-Infected Pancreatic Necrosis Patients

Introduction

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has emerged as a global threat to hospitalization patients. Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) leads to high risks of CRE infections with increasing mortality. Our study aims to determine the predictors related to 90-day overall mortality of CRE IPN.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the drug resistance rates and clinical characteristics of CRE IPN patients from January 1, 2016, to January 1, 2021. Independent predictors of mortality were identified via univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

During the 5-year period, 75 IPN patients suffered from 135 episodes of CRE infections with mortality up to 50.7%. CRE strains were highly resistant (> 50%) to nine of ten common antibiotics, except tigecycline (18%). The most common pathogen was carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (84 of 135). Lung was the main site of extrapancreatic infections, followed by bloodstream and biliary tract. The independent predictors of mortality were Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score > 2 (hazard ratio 3.746, 95% confidence interval 1.209–11.609, P = 0.022) and procalcitonin > 6 ng/l (hazard ratio 2.428, 95% confidence interval 1.204–4.895, P = 0.013).

Conclusion

CRE is widespread as a global challenge with a high mortality rate among IPN patients due to limited therapeutic options. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae is the leading category of CRE which requires more attention in clinical practice. High SOFA score and procalcitonin level represent two independent predictors of mortality in CRE IPN patients. Greater efforts are needed toward timely therapeutic intervention for CRE IPN.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40121-021-00489-5.

Plasmatic Oxidative and Metabonomic Profile of Patients with Different Degrees of Biliary Acute Pancreatitis Severity

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory process of the pancreas with variable involvement of the pancreatic and peripancreatic tissues and remote organ systems. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory biomarkers, oxidative stress (OS), and plasma metabolome of patients with different degrees of biliary AP severity to improve its prognosis. Twenty-nine patients with biliary AP and 11 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. We analyzed several inflammatory biomarkers, multifactorial scores, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidants defenses, and the plasma metabolome of biliary AP and healthy controls. Hepcidin (1.00), CRP (0.94), and SIRI (0.87) were the most accurate serological biomarkers of AP severity. OS played a pivotal role in the initial phase of AP, with significant changes in ROS and antioxidant defenses relating to AP severity. Phenylalanine (p < 0.05), threonine (p < 0.05), and lipids (p < 0.01) showed significant changes in AP severity. The role of hepcidin and SIRI were confirmed as new prognostic biomarkers of biliary AP. OS appears to have a role in the onset and progression of the AP process. Overall, this study identified several metabolites that may predict the onset and progression of biliary AP severity, constituting the first metabonomic study in the field of biliary AP.

Using a multidisciplinary team for the staged management and optimally minimally invasive treatment of severe acute pancreatitis

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a common critical disease with a high mortality rate that involves a complex, rapid change in condition and multiple organ systems. Therefore, a multidisciplinary team (MDT), including staff from the emergency department, intensive care unit, pancreatic surgery, gastroenterology , and imaging, is necessary for the early diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients with SAP. This involves managing the systemic inflammatory response and maintaining organ function in the early stage and managing systemic infection and treatment of peripancreatic complications in the middle-to-late stages. The MDT should be led by departments corresponding to the clinical characteristics of each stage, and those departments should be responsible for the coordination and implementation of treatment by other relevant departments. In the late stage, pancreatic surgery and gastroenterology are the main departments that should manage peripancreatic complications. In line with the principle of minimally invasive treatment, the timely and reasonable selection of endoscopic or minimally invasive surgical debridement can achieve good therapeutic outcomes. Open surgery is also an effective method for treating an intractable massive hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity or necrotic cavity, intractable abdominal compartment syndrome, visceral perforation, and fistulae.

Intra-abdominal infection in acute pancreatitis in eastern China: microbiological features and a prediction model

Background

This study aimed to investigate the microbiol distribution of intra-abdominal infection in patients with acute pancreatitis, and to develop a reliable prediction model to guide the use of antibiotics.

Methods

Inpatient with acute pancreatitis between January 2015 and June 2020 were enrolled in the study. Participants were divided into the intra-abdominal infection group and non-infection group. Isolated pathogens and antibiotic susceptibility were documented. Characteristics parameters, laboratory results, and outcomes were also compared. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used to select the risk factors associated with intra-abdominal infection in patients with acute pancreatitis. Logistic regression analysis, random forest model, and artificial neural network were also used to validate the performance of the selected predictors in intra-abdominal infection prediction. A novel nomogram based on selected predictors was established to provide individualized risk of developing intra-abdominal infection in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Results

A total amount of 711 participants were enrolled in the study, and of these, 182 (25.6%) had intra-abdominal infection. Of the 247 isolated pathogens, 45 (18.2%) were multidrug-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic susceptibility was lower than that of China Antimicrobial Surveillance Network 2020. The LASSO method identified 5 independent predictors [intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), computed tomography severity index (CTSI), the severity of pancreatitis, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission] of intra-abdominal infection, which were validated by three different models. The area under the curve was >0.95 for all 5 predictors. A clinically useful nomogram based on these predictors was successfully established.

Conclusions

Multidrug-resistant bacteria were quite common in intra-abdominal infection. IAP, APACHE II, CTSI, the severity of pancreatitis, and ICU admission were identified as risk factors and the new nomogram based on these could help clinicians estimate the risk of intra-abdominal infection and optimize antimicrobial prescription for acute pancreatitis patients.

NECROTIZING PANCREATITIS: THE WAYS OF IMPROVEMENT OF SURGICAL TREATMENT

Background. In connection with a steady increase of patients with destructive forms of acute pancreatitis, the proportion of which takes from 10-15 to 20-30%, despite of the wide range of treatments for non-biliary necrotizing pancreatitis, the rate of mortality reaches 80-90% in case of infected forms and needs further improvement of therapies. Objective. The purpose of this study is to improve the results of treatment of patients with nonbiliary necrotizing pancreatitis, by optimizing surgical tactics. Methods. The study examined the cases of 120 patients, whose age ranged from 22 to 83 years, including patients under the age of 50 years old who accounted for 60.0%. There were 80 males (66.7%) and 40 females (33.3%). Disease duration up to 24 hours was found in 36 (30.0%) patients, from 25 to 72 hours - in 25 (20.8%) individuals, more than 72 hours - in 49 (49.2%) patients. Results. The research claims in non-necrotizing pancreatitis, left-sided retroperitoneal phlegmon often develops in 64.2% (mortality rate 26.0%) of patients, right-sided in 24.2% (mortality rate 6.8%) of patients, and bilateral - in 11, 6% (mortality rate 64.2%) individuals. Moreover, the highest mortality was observed with a combination of retroperitoneal phlegmon cellulose and abscess of the pancreas and/or omental bursa - 39.1%. Conclusions. The use of various surgical interventions depending on the involvement in the pathological process of various sections of the abdominal cavity/ retroperitoneal space, which made it possible to reduce mortality and hospitalization time of patients in the hospital by 1.5-2 times is proposed.

The impacts of infectious complications on outcomes in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of infectious complications characterizes the more severe forms of acute pancreatitis (AP) and is associated with high mortality. We investigated the effects of infection at different sites in patients with AP, including those with necrotizing pancreatitis (NP).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 285 patients who met the inclusion criteria for AP and were admitted to Tianjin Nankai Hospital between January 2016 and September 2019. According to the source of the culture positivity during hospitalization, patients were divided into four groups: sterile group(n = 148), pancreatic infection group(n = 65), extrapancreatic infection group(n = 22) and combined infection group(n = 50). The source of infection, microbiology, biochemical parameters and prognostic indicators were analyzed.

RESULTS

In terms of baseline characteristics, the four groups were similar in age, sex, aetiology, previous pancreatitis and diabetes. Compared with the severity of the disease in the other groups, the APACHE II scores(9.91 ± 4.65, 9.46 ± 5.05, respectively) and organ failure rate (40.9 and 50%, respectively)were higher in the extrapancreatic infection group and the combined infection group (P < 0.05). The frequency of surgical intervention and hospitalization time in patients with NP complicated with extrapancreatic infection was greatly increased (P < 0.05). Regarding the primary outcome, patients in the combined infection group had longer hospital stays (68.28 ± 51.80 vs 55.58 ± 36.24, P < 0.05) and higher mortality (24.0% vs 9.2%, P < 0.05) than patients in the pancreatic infection group. In addition, patients in the extrapancreatic infection group also showed high intensive care utilization (59.1%) and mortality rates (18.2%). Among the 137 AP patients with infection complications, 89 patients exhibited multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms, and the mortality rate of patients with MDR bacterial infection was higher than that of patients with non-MDR bacterial infection (24.7% vs 3.6%, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should be aware that extrapancreatic infection (EPI) significantly aggravates the main outcome in pancreatic infection patients. Infection with MDR bacteria is also associated with AP mortality.