title: Acute pancreatitis: which patient is most at risk?
abstract: This prospective study aimed to pinpoint acute pancreatic patients who are at a higher risk of clinical deterioration. Once identified, they can be given more costly intensive-care therapy or transferred promptly to hospitals with specialized equipment. Our study included 217 patients with acute pancreatitis. All of them underwent computed tomography within 72 h of admission. Initial organ failure was defined according to the Atlanta classification (arterial pO2, < or = 60 mm Hg; serum creatinine, > 2 mg/dl after rehydration). Forty-two (19%) of the 217 patients had initial organ failure, and 13 (31%) of these deteriorated (i.e., 10 of them needed artificial ventilation, and three, dialysis treatment). Deterioration of initial organ failure was significantly more frequent in alcohol- than in non-alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis (p = 0.005). One hundred seventy-five (81%) patients had no initial organ failure, and 12 (7%) of these deteriorated. All needed artificial ventilation, and two of them dialysis treatment also. There was no significant correlation between etiology and deterioration in these patients. Patients with alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis and initial organ failure represented a major group at risk and should be closely monitored or transferred to specialized units, whereas patients without initial organ failure have a lower risk of later developing organ failure and usually do not need intensive care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Municipal Clinic of Lüneburg, Germany.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lankisch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pflichthofer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lehnick
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010179:Pancreas / Q000503:physiopathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; D010100:Oxygen