Survey on initial management of acute pancreatitis in Latin America

OBJECTIVE

The population of Latin America harbors the highest incidence of gallstones and acute biliary pancreatitis, yet little is known about the initial management of acute pancreatitis in this large geographic region.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

We performed a post hoc analysis of responses from physicians based in Latin America to the international multidisciplinary survey on the initial management of acute pancreatitis. The questionnaire asked about management of patients during the first 72h after admission, related to fluid therapy, prescription of prophylactic antibiotics, feeding and nutrition, and timing of cholecystectomy. Adherence to clinical guidelines in this region was compared with the rest of the world.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 358 participants from 19 Latin American countries (median age, 39 years [33-47]; women, 27.1%). The proportion of participants in Latin America vs. the rest of the world who chose non-compliant options with clinical guidelines were: prescription of fluid therapy rate other than moderate (42.2% vs 34.3%, P=.02); prescription of prophylactic antibiotics for severe (10.6% vs 18.0%, P=.002), necrotizing (28.5% vs 36.9%, P=.008), or systemic inflammatory response syndrome-associated (21.2% vs 30.6%, P=.002) acute pancreatitis; not starting an oral diet to patients with oral tolerance (77.9% vs 71.1%, P=.02); and delayed cholecystectomy (16.2% vs 33.8%, P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Surveyed physicians in Latin America are less likely to prescribe antibiotics and to delay cholecystectomy when managing patients in the initial phase of acute pancreatitis compared to physicians in the rest of the world. Feeding and nutrition appear to require the greatest improvement.

International multidisciplinary survey on the initial management of acute pancreatitis: Perspective of point-of-care specialists focused on daily practice

BACKGROUND

The initial management of patients with acute pancreatitis impacts both morbidity and mortality. Point-of-care decisions have been reported to differ from clinical guideline recommendations.

METHODS

An online anonymous questionnaire was distributed through scientific associations and social media using REDCap. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics of participants associated with compliance with the recommendations.

RESULTS

A total of 1054 participants from 94 countries completed the questionnaire; median age (IQR) was 39 (32-47) years; 30.7% were women. Among the participants, 37% opted for nonmoderate flow of i.v. fluid, 31% for fluid type other than Ringer's lactate; 73.4% were in favor of nil per os to patients who could eat, 75.5% for other than enteral feeding to patients with oral intolerance; 15.5% used prophylactic antibiotic in patients with severe acute pancreatitis, 34.1% in necrotizing acute pancreatitis, and 27.4% in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome; 27.8% delayed cholecystectomy after biliary acute pancreatitis. Participants with publications in PubMed on acute pancreatitis showed better compliance (OR, 1.62; 95% CI: 1.15-2.32; P = .007) with recommendations of the clinical guidelines.

CONCLUSIONS

Feeding and nutrition require the greatest improvement efforts, but also the use of prophylactic antibiotics and timing of cholecystectomy should be improved.

[Chilean consensus on diagnosis and management of pancreatic cystic neoplasms]

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) are frequently detected on abdominal images performed for non-pancreatic indications. Their prevalence in asymptomatic population ranges from 2.7 to 24.8%, and increases with age. There are several types of pancreatic cysts. Some may contain cancer or have malignant potential, such as mucinous cystic neoplasms, including mucinous cystadenoma (MCN) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN). In contrast, others are benign, such as serous cystadenoma (SCA). However, even those cysts with malignant potential rarely progress to cancer. Currently, the only treatment for pancreatic cysts is surgery, which is associated with high morbidity and occasional mortality. The Board of the Chilean Pancreas Club of the Chilean Gastroenterology Society developed the first Chilean multidisciplinary consensus for diagnosis, management, and surveillance of PCN. Thirty experts were invited and answered 21 statements with five possible alternatives: 1) fully agree; 2) partially agree; 3) undecided; 4) disagree and 5) strongly disagree. A consensus was adopted when at least 80% of the sum of the answers "fully agree" and "partially agree" was reached. The consensus was approved by the Board of Directors of the Chilean Pancreas Club for publication.

Acute pancreatitis in Chile: A multicenter study on epidemiology, etiology and clinical outcome. Retrospective analysis of clinical files

BACKGROUND

Epidemiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) is variable in different geographical regions.

OBJECTIVES

To compare etiology and severity of AP to published data from South America and the rest of world, study impact of demographical factors and treatment on its outcome in Chilean hospitals.

METHODS

Multicenter observational study. Data of consecutive patients with AP were collected at the moment of discharge from 11 centers and retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

Data of 962 patients were included in the analysis, 447 men and 515 women. Mean age was 48,2 years. Biliary etiology was significantly more frequent in women (70%) than in men (52%). Conversely, alcohol was responsible for about 17% of AP in men but exceptional in women. Mild AP was seen in 73.4%, moderately severe in 14.1% and severe in 13%. The overall mortality was 2.5% (24 of 962): 0.3%, 3.1% and 15.1% in mild, moderately severe and severe cases, respectively. No difference was found in the mortality and severity of biliary versus alcoholic AP, while hypertriglyceridemia induced AP was more severe, without increased mortality. Severity and mortality increased with age. ERCP was performed in 16% of biliary pancreatitis. Adherence to main guidelines was heterogeneous: more than half of mild AP patients were admitted to critical care units and antibiotics were used in about 25% them.

CONCLUSION

This is the first multicenter study in Chile on AP. When compared to literature, we found similar severity distribution and an acceptably low mortality. Biliary etiology was dominant, but alcohol was also important in men.

[Mortality of acute pancreatitis in a 20 years period]

BACKGROUND

Mortality for acute pancreatitis (AP) in Chile has fluctuated between 7 ana 10% in last years.

AIM

To evaluate AP mortality over a period of 20 years in a clinical hospital in Santiago, Chile.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Review of the database of hospital discharges with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, between 1990 and 2010 and the medical records of those patients. Age, gender, length of hospital stay, surgeries, percutaneous interventions and mortality were registered. To compare the evolution of the disease over time, patients were divided in two groups: those hospitalized between 1990 and 1999 and those hospitalized between 2000 and 2010.

RESULTS

We reviewed the records of 1367 patients with a median age of 48 years (48% men). In the first period, 93 of 637 (14.6%) patients died, whereas in the second period, 22 of 730 patients died (3.0%). In the first and second period, 41.9 and 25.3% of patients were subjected to surgical procedures. The hospital stay was shorter in the second group, compared with the first (14.2 and 25.9 days respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a decrease in mortality caused by AP in the last 10 years, probably associated with a better interdisciplinary management of these patients.

[Bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score as predictor of clinical outcome in acute pancreatitis: retrospective review of 128 patients]

BACKGROUND

Identification of patients at risk for severe disease early in the course of acute pancreatitis (AP) is essential to optimize management and to improve outcomes.

AIM

To assess BISAP score as a predictor of severity of AP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective review of AP patients between January 2009 and December 2010. BISAP, APACHE II and Balthazar scores were calculated. Length of stay, local complications, organ failure and mortality were registered. Accuracy of the scoring system for predicting severity was measured by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC).

RESULTS

The medical records of 128 patients, median age 46.5 years (55.5% men), were reviewed. Mean hospital stay was 15 days, 18 patients (14%) had local complications, 7 patients (5.4%) developed organ failure and 2 patients died (1.6%). The AUC for BISAP score to detect organ failure was 0.977 (95% IC 0.947-1.000). A BISAP score > 3 had a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of 71.4, 99.1, 83.3 and 98.3% respectively. An APACHE II score > 8 had a sensitivity and specificity of 71.5 and 86.8% respectively. The figures for a Balthazar score > 6 were 42.8 and 98.3% respectively. There was a significant correlation between BISAP score and length of hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

BISAP score was a useful method for predicting the severity of PA, with the advantage of being simple and based on parameters obtained on the first day of hospitalization. Its sensitivity and specificity were superior to APACHE II and Balthazar score in this cohort.

[Fulminant hepatic failure by hepatitis B virus in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection: report of one case]

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection is a common problem in the world, with an estimated prevalence of up to 8%. We report a 27-year-old man admitted to the intensive care unit with an acute liver failure by HBV. During hospital stay, a co-infection with HIV virus was detected. Treatment with early antiviral therapy was started with emtricitabine, tenofovir and raltegravir, to cover both HBV and HIV. Despite therapy, the patient died two weeks after admission.

[Obesity: risk factor for steatohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis]

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) has been recognized as a cause of chronic liver disease. Its main risk factor is obesity.

AIM

To describe the clinical and liver pathological findings in a group of patients who underwent surgery as obesity treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty eight patients with severe or morbid obesity were subjected to surgery as obesity treatment. Each patient was evaluated with a complete clinical and laboratory medical assessment. A wedge of liver was excised during surgery. Liver biopsies were analyzed without knowledge of clinical and laboratory findings. The presence of steatosis, inflammation (portal or lobular), fibrosis and cirrhosis were recorded in the pathological analysis. Age and body mass index (BMI) were correlated with pathological data. Significance was set at a p value of less than 0.05.

RESULTS

Ninety one percent of patients had steatosis, 45% inflammation and 47% fibrosis. One patient had cirrhosis (1.4%). There was a statistically significant association between BMI and moderate or severe steatosis (p < 0.03). There was also an association between BMI and portal (p = 0.017) and lobular inflammation (p = 0.034). A BMI over 40 kg/m2 (morbid obesity) was significantly associated with the presence of fibrosis (p = 0.032). Moreover, the presence of moderate or severe steatosis was a risk factor for the development of hepatic fibrosis (p = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is a major and independent risk factor for steatohepatitis and fibrosis. The degree of steatosis in the liver biopsy, is a risk factor for the development of fibrosis.

Histomorphometric analysis in the ovary of newly hatched chicks treated with follicle-stimulating hormone during embryonic development

We studied the histomorphometric changes induced in the left ovary of newly hatched chicks treated with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) during embryonic development. After FSH treatment the thickness of the ovarian cortex, the number per unit of area and total mass per ovary of germ and pregranulosa cells increased, accompanied by hypertrophy of the pregranulosa cells. The volume of interstitial cell cords, lacunar system, and blood capillaries was increased and modifications in poorly differentiated cells were also observed. The number of interstitial cells and the average volume of interstitial cells also increased, from which we can deduce that these two last events are important in the enlargement of the interstitial cell cords. These findings suggest that the prefollicular ovary is able to respond to FSH, inducing structural changes both in the ovarian cortex as well as in the subcortical medulla.