Analysis of the clinical features of recurrent acute pancreatitis in China.
BACKGROUND
Since few systematic studies have focused on recurrent acute pancreatitis in China, we sought to investigate its clinical features, including etiological factors and relative frequency.


METHODS
Patients were selected from a total 1471 patients with acute pancreatitis in ten cities of China. All had been admitted to a hospital with an attack of acute pancreatitis between January 1992 and December 2002. Data for each patient was recorded on a standardized form.


RESULTS
Of the 1471 patients with acute pancreatitis, 157 (10.7%) had recurrent acute pancreatitis. The majority (63%) were male, with a mean age of 41 years (range, 13-82 years). Regarding the etiology, alcohol (20.4%) and cholelithiasis (20.4%) were the most frequent causes, followed by diet (13.4%), hypertriglyceridemia (8.3%), biliary tract infection (5.7%), other (5.1%), and idiopathic factors (26.8%). Alcohol was most frequent in male patients (30.3%), whereas cholelithiasis was most frequent (34.5%) in female patients. The majority of patients (79.6%) presented with their second attack of pancreatitis. Complications of recurrent acute pancreatitis in order of frequency were pancreatic pseudocyst, multiple organ failure, diabetes mellitus type 2, and shock.


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrent acute pancreatitis remains a frequent disease, with cholelithiasis and alcohol being the most usual etiological factors. Alcohol is the primary etiological factor in male patients. In about 26.8% of cases, the etiology remains unknown.
Gao
Yan Jing
YJ
Shandong University Qilu Hospital, Jinan, 250012, China.
Li
Yan Qing
YQ
Wang
Qing
Q
Li
Shen Lin
SL
Li
Guo Qing
GQ
Ma
Ji
J
Zeng
Xian Zhong
XZ
Huang
Liu Ye
LY
Yuan
Sheng An
SA
Liu
Chun An
CA
Wang
Fu Xian
FX
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002681:China; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012008:Recurrence