title: Incidence of acute pancreatitis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with hypertriglyceridemia: is it really high?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the incidence of acute pancreatitis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with triglyceride (TG) greater than 500 mg/dL after highly active antiretroviral therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sequential TG levels during follow-up and episodes of acute pancreatitis were retrospectively reviewed in 347, 417, and 571 patients enrolled in periods 1 (2000-2002), 2 (2003-2005), and 3 (2006-2008), respectively. The incidence of acute pancreatitis, defined as consistent clinical symptoms and elevated amylase and/or lipase levels, was estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 5356 TG measurements were performed during the follow-up for 698.22, 884.14, and 1215.69 person-years in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Overall, 9.89% of patients had at least one TG greater than 500 mg/dL. Five patients with TG less than 500 mg/dL developed acute pancreatitis. The crude incidences of acute pancreatitis were 0.6%, 0.5%, and 0.2%, and the incidence rates were 2.86, 2.26, and 0.82/1000 person-years in periods 1, 2 and 3, respectively (all, P > 0.05). The incidence rates of acute pancreatitis when TG levels were less than 500, less than 1000, and less than 1500 mg/dL ranged from 1.2 to 4.9/1000 person-years, whereas it was 0/1000 person-years when TG levels were greater than 500, greater than 1000, and greater than 1500 mg/dL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of acute pancreatitis was low among human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients who developed hypertriglyceridemia after receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Sui-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wang-Huei
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Mao-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Szu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Yu-Tzu
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Ching-Lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chia-Jui
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hsiu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014280:Triglycerides; D008049:Lipase; C518354:PNLIP protein, human; D000681:Amylases