title: Does prophylactic administration of corticosteroid reduce the risk and severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis: a randomized, prospective, multicenter study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pancreatitis is the most common major complication of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. There have been continuing efforts to identify a pharmacologic agent capable of reducing the frequency and severity of this complication. On the basis of several case reports, experimental data, and knowledge of their mechanism of action, corticosteroids might be effective in this regard. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was to determine whether prophylactic, orally administered corticosteroid reduces the frequency and/or severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1115 patients were randomized to receive either prednisone (40 mg) or a placebo orally 15 hours and 3 hours before ERCP. A 160 variable database was prospectively collected according to a defined protocol on patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic ERCP at 15 centers in the Midwest Pancreaticobiliary Group. Standardized criteria were used to diagnose and grade the severity of postprocedure pancreatitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall frequency of pancreatitis was 15.07%. It occurred in 92 of 555 patients in the corticosteroid group (16.6%), and in 76 of 560 patients in the control group (13.6%; p = 0.19). The pancreatitis was mild in 10.04%, moderate in 4.04%, and severe in 0.99%. There was no difference between the groups with regard to the severity of pancreatitis. Moreover, the groups were similar with regard to age, gender, body mass index, frequency of prior pancreatitis, type of procedure performed (diagnostic or therapeutic), difficulty of cannulation, frequency of pre-cut sphincterotomy, pancreatic sphincterotomy, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, sphincter of Oddi manometry, pancreatic acinarization, chronic pancreatitis, number of pancreatic duct injections, and bile duct diameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prophylactic orally administered corticosteroid did not reduce the frequency or severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Blaut
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geenen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Harrison
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Frakes
authors.forename: Evan L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Kulwinder S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Dua
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aliperti
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yakshe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzer
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goff
authors.forename: Dee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Earle
authors.forename: M'hamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temkit
authors.forename: Glen A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lehman
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone