title: [Thrombocytopenia onset in acute episodes of pancreatitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of thrombocytopenia in acute pancreatitis and its value as a prognostic marker for complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of all patients admitted to our institution between January and June 1993 were reviewed. After exclusion of other possible causes of thrombocytopenia, 104 patients were evaluated. The prognostic value of thrombocytopenia was determined by evaluation of the length of hospital stay, radiologic severity, complications, need for ICU care, need for surgery and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The etiology of pancreatitis was as follows: gallstone-induced in 49 patients, alcoholic in 35, idiopathic in 12 and due to other causes in the remaining 8 cases. Thrombocytopenia developed early, within the first 48 hours and was moderate (106 +/- 27 x 10(9)/l). Alcoholic pancreatitis was associated to a higher probability to develop thrombocytopenia (43% vs 36% in gallstone-induced pancreatitis and 4% in idiopathic pancreatitis, p = 0.02). Thrombocytopenic patients had a greater radiologic severity (Balthazar's scores D or E 78% vs 49%, p = 0.04), a higher number of acute complications (28% vs 10%, p = 0.05) and a more frequent need for ICU care (25% vs 7%, p = 0.01). No differences were seen in length of hospital stay, need for surgery and mortality between the two groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thrombocytopenia is frequent in acute pancreatitis, especially in cases of alcoholic origin. Its presence suggests a higher risk to develop complications.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital General Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vaquero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casellas
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bisbe
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Puig-Diví
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guarner
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Malagelada
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*