title: Risk of and factors associated with readmission after a sentinel attack of acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few data are available on how many patients are readmitted to the hospital after attacks of acute pancreatitis. We aimed to determine the risk and factors that determine early (within 30 days) and late (after 30 days) readmission of patients with acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study, we collected and analyzed data on 127 surviving patients (median age, 53 y; 52% male; 83% white) hospitalized at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for a sentinel attack of acute pancreatitis, enrolled in the Severe Acute Pancreatitis Study from June 2003 through April 2010, and who had follow-up data. Information was collected on demographics, clinical profile, risk score at discharge (based on a recently developed scoring system), and details of readmissions during the follow-up period (median, 36 mo).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 127 patients, 52% were transfers from another care center and 32% required admission to the intensive care unit. Etiologies for pancreatitis were biliary (47%), idiopathic (13%), alcohol associated (12%), and others (28%). Pancreatic necrosis (28%), persistent organ failure (27%), and peripancreatic fluid collections (19%) were common. The median length of stay was 9 days. A total of 108 readmissions occurred for 43 patients (34%). Early readmissions (n = 21) occurred more frequently for patients with smoldering (ongoing) symptoms or local complications than for those without. Late readmissions (n = 22) occurred more frequently for patients with recurrent pancreatitis than for those without. Male sex, alcohol-associated disease, and severe disease increased the risks of readmission and recurrence. The risk for readmission was lower among nontransferred patients (23%) and patients without necrosis or organ failure (16%). Risk for readmission increased with the number of points on the weighted scoring system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately one-third of patients hospitalized for acute pancreatitis are readmitted, usually as a result of smoldering symptoms, local complications, or recurrent attacks. Studies are needed to determine whether individualized discharge planning, with consideration of the etiology of acute pancreatitis, can reduce the risk for readmission.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kishore
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vipperla
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Georgios I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Papachristou
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Easler
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Venkata
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muddana
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slivka
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Whitcomb
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: yadavd@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Dhiraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yadav
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Inflammation; Outcome; Pancreas; Prognostic Factor