title: Influence of obesity on the severity and clinical outcome of acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity tends to be associated with increased mortality and morbidity in acute pancreatitis. However, in Asian populations, higher morbidity and mortality have been reported in patients with low body mass indexes (BMIs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the relation between obesity and outcome, and to investigate the occurrence of complications by overweightedness in acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 403 patients with acute pancreatitis were reviewed retrospectively, and Ranson's scores, modified Glasgow scores, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores and computed tomography severity indexes were calculated. Patients were categorized by BMI for the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with normal patients (BMI 18.5 to 22.9), all categories with a BMI ≥23 had an increased risk of developing a severe form of acute pancreatitis (p=0.003) and all categories with a BMI ≥25 significantly predicted severity (p<0.001). Patients with class 1 obesity (BMI 25 to 29.9) developed significantly more systemic and metabolic complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweightedness and obesity were found to be associated with a higher risk of developing severe pancreatitis. Further studies are needed to establish the precise prognostic value of obesity in members of the population with low BMIs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Keun Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Wan Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Duk Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Min Kyu
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Won Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Young Oh
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Chang Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cho