title: [Acute pancreatitis. Prospective study of incidence, aetiology, severity, and mortality in Iceland.].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the aetiology, severity and mortality of patients with acute pancreatitis at Landspítali - University Hospital (LSH) and to estimate the incidence in Iceland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of all patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis LSH during the one-year period October 1998 - September 1999 inclusive. The main outcome measures were APACHE II, Ranson, and Imrie scores, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. The Balthazar - Ranson criteria were used for scoring of computed tomograms (CT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty seven of the 50 patients were male. The median age of the whole series was 60 years (range 19-85). The estimated incidence was 32/100000 for the first attack of acute pancreatitis. The causes were; gallstones 42%, alcohol 32%, miscellaneous 24%, and idiopathic 2%. Thirty three percentage of the patients had APACHE II scores 9, 38% had Ranson scores of 3, 50% had Imrie scores of 3, and 34% had CRP concentrations >210 mg/L during the first 4 days or >120 mg/L during the first week. Seven patients had severe pancreatitis. Two patients in the whole group died, and both had clinically severe pancreatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis in Iceland is in concordance to that described in other studies. Prospective assessment makes it possible to evaluate the aetiological factors more accurately. Measurement of the CRP concentration is an attractive and simple alternative to the severity scoring systems currently in use.
authors.affiliation: Department of surgery, University Hospital of Iceland, Hringbraut, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland. pallm@landspitali.is.
authors.forename: Helgi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Birgisson
authors.forename: Páll Helgi
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Mœller
authors.forename: Sigurbjœrn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Birgisson
authors.forename: Asgeir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thoroddsen
authors.forename: Kristján Skúli
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Asgeirsson
authors.forename: Sigurður V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sigurjónsson
authors.forename: Jónas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magnússon