Ferritin and Ferritin-to-Hemoglobin Ratio as Promising Prognostic Biomarkers of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis-A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas with variable outcomes depending on its severity. Multiple systems of prediction have been proposed, each with variable specificity and sensitivity and with uneven clinical use. Ferritin is a versatile protein associated with various acute and chronic conditions. AIMS: In our study, we aimed to assess the association of serum ferritin and the ferritin-to-hemoglobin ratio (FHR) with the severity of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in our hospital from January 2020 to September 2022 and included 116 patients with acute pancreatitis (graded according to the revised Atlanta classification). Serum ferritin and FHR were determined next to established laboratory parameters in the first 24 h following admission (hematological parameters, amylase, lipase, C-reactive protein, D-dimers, lactate dehydrogenase). We performed a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for potential predictors. Also, we made correlations and conducted univariate and multivariate analyses for all potential severity biomarkers. RESULTS: The median values of serum ferritin and FHR differed significantly between patients with severe acute pancreatitis and mild cases (serum ferritin: 352.40 vs. 197.35 ng/mL, p = 0.011; FHR: 23.73 vs. 13.74, p = 0.002) and between patients with organ failure and those without organ failure (serum ferritin: 613.45 vs. 279.65 ng/mL, p = 0.000; FHR: 48.12 vs. 18.64, p = 0.000). The medians of the serum ferritin and FHR levels were significantly higher in non-survivors compared with survivors (serum ferritin: 717.71 vs. 305.67 ng/mL, p = 0.013; FHR: 52.73 vs. 19.58, p = 0.016). Serum ferritin and FHR were good predictors for organ failure and mortality, next to D-dimers and procalcitonin (AUC > 0.753 for organ failure and AUC > 0.794 for mortality). In univariate regression analysis, serum ferritin and FHR were independent variables for moderate-severe forms of acute pancreatitis. Still, adjusting the multivariate analysis, only FHR remained a significant predictor. The cut-offs for serum ferritin and FHR for predicting organ failure were 437.81 ng/mL (sensitivity, 71%; specificity, 75%) and 45.63 (sensitivity, 61%; specificity, 88%), and those for mortality during hospitalization were 516 ng/mL (sensitivity, 83%; specificity, 74%) and 51.58 (sensitivity, 66%; specificity, 86%). CONCLUSIONS: Serum ferritin and the ferritin-to-hemoglobin ratio stood out in this study as valuable and accessible predictors of disease severity in the early assessment of acute pancreatitis, next to established severity serum markers (CRP, fibrinogen, D-dimers).

Necrotising Inflammation of Peri-Pancreatic Tissue With Normal Appearance of Pancreas Is a Distinct Entity of Acute Pancreatitis: Report of Two Cases With Review of Literature.

Improved insights into the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis have paved the way for identification of distinct entities in the spectrum of the disease. The presence of necrotising inflammation limited to peripancreatic tissue with a normal appearance of pancreas is one such entity. This entity, described as extrapancreatic necrotising pancreatitis (EPN), is considered a less aggressive form of acute necrotising pancreatitis. This entity needs to be recognized precisely and managed accordingly among patients with acute pancreatitis. However, EPN has not been highlighted in the revised classification of acute pancreatitis. Here we report two patients with EPN with varied presentations and diverse management and outcome.

Epidemiological trends in acute pancreatitis: A retrospective cohort in a tertiary center over a seven year period.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) remains a major cause of hospitalization and mortality with important health-related costs worldwide. Using an electronic database of a large tertiary center, we estimated the incidence, etiology, severity and costs of hospitalized AP cases in southern Romania. AIM: To estimate the incidence, cost and tobacco usage of hospitalized AP cases in southern Romania and to update and upgrade the knowledge we have on the etiology, severity (in regard to Revised Atlanta Classification), outcome, morphology and local complications of AP. METHODS: We performed an electronic health care records search on AP patients treated at Emergency University Hospital of Bucharest (Spitalul Universitar de Urgența București) between 2015 and 2022. The incidence, etiology, and severity were calculated; potential risk factors were evaluated, and the hospitalization costs of AP were documented and analyzed. The cohort of this study is part of the BUCharest - Acute Pancreatitis Index registry. RESULTS: A total of 947 consecutive episodes of AP where the patients were hospitalized in the gastroenterology department were analyzed, with 79.45% as 1st episode and the rest recurrent. The majority of the patients were males (68.9%). Alcoholic (45.7%), idiopathic (16.4%) and biliary (15.2%) were the main causes. The incidence was estimated at 29.2 episodes/100000 people. The median length of stay was 7 d. The median daily cost was 747.96 RON (165 EUR). There was a high prevalence of active tobacco smokers (68.5%). The prevalence of severe disease was 11.1%. The admission rate to the intensive care unit was 4.6%, with a mortality rate of 38.6%. The overall mortality was 5.5%. CONCLUSION: We estimated the incidence of AP at 29.2 episodes that required hospitalization per 100000 people. The majority of our cases were found in males (68.9%) and were related to alcohol abuse (45.7%). Out of the cases we were able to find data regarding tobacco usage, the majority were active smokers (68.5%). Most patients had a mild course (54.4%), with a mortality rate of 5.5%. Interstitial AP prevailed (45.3%). The median daily cost of hospitalization was 747.96 RON (165 EUR).

Decreased HDL-C Levels as a Predictor of Organ Failure in Acute Pancreatitis in the Emergency Department.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is reported as a biomarker of systemic inflammation and multi-organ failure (MOF), which has been rarely investigated in acute pancreatitis (AP), a frequent condition in the emergency department (ED). The objective was to study the predictive capacity of the decrease in HDL-C to the progression of MOF in AP in the ED; analyzing 114 patients with AP for one year in a longitudinal and prospective study, AP severity was obtained by the Atlanta classification, in relation to modified Marshall and Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) scores, and clinical and laboratory parameters in a 48 h hospital stay. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the validity of the predictor and define optimal cut-off points. It was found that AP was classified as severe in 24.5%, mainly for biliary etiology (78.9%) and female sex (73.6%). As a biomarker, HDL-C decreased from 31.6 to 29.5 mg/dL in a 48 h stay (p < 0.001), correlating negatively with the increase in severity index > 2 and the modified Marshall (p < 0.032) and BISAP (p < 0.009) scores, finding an area under the ROC curve with a predictive capacity of 0.756 (95% CI, 0.614-0.898; p < 0.004) and a cut-off point of 28.5 mg/dL (sensitivity: 79%, specificity: 78%), demonstrating that the decrease in HDL-C levels serves as a useful indicator with a predictive capacity for MOF in mild to severe AP, during a 48 h hospital stay in the ED.

Early prediction of the severe course, survival, and ICU requirements in acute pancreatitis by artificial intelligence.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success of artificial intelligence for early prediction of severe course, survival, and intensive care unit(ICU) requirement in patients with acute pancreatitis(AP). METHODS: Retrospectively, 1334 patients were included the study. Severity is determined according to the Revised Atlanta Classification(RAC). The success of machine learning(ML) method was evaluated by 13 simple demographic, clinical, etiologic, and laboratory features obtained on ER admission. Additionally, it was evaluated whether Balthazar-computerized tomography severity index(CTSI) at 48-h contributed to success. The dataset was split into two parts, 90% for ML(of which 70% for learning and 30% for testing) and 10% for validation and 5-fold stratified sampling has been utilized. Variable Importance was used in the selection of features during training phase of machine. The Gradient Boost Algorithm trained the machine by KNIME analytics platform. SMOTE has been applied to increase the minority classes for training. The combined effects of the measured features were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis and reciever operating curve curves of the prediction and confidence of the target variables were obtained. RESULTS: Accuracy values for the early estimation of Atlanta severity score, ICU requirement, and survival were found as 88.20%, 98.25%, and 92.77% respectively. When Balthazar-CTSI score is used, results were found as 91.02%, 92.25%, and 98% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ML method we used successfully predicted the severe course, ICU requirement and survival, with promising accuracy values of over 88%. If 48-h Balthazar-CTSI is included in the calculation, the severity score and survival rates increase even more.

Diagnosis, severity stratification and management of adult acute pancreatitis-current evidence and controversies.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a disease spectrum ranging from mild to severe with an unpredictable natural course. Majority of cases (80%) are mild and self-limiting. However, severe AP (SAP) has a mortality risk of up to 30%. Establishing aetiology and risk stratification are essential pillars of clinical care. Idiopathic AP is a diagnosis of exclusion which should only be used after extended investigations fail to identify a cause. Tenets of management of mild AP include pain control and management of aetiology to prevent recurrence. In SAP, patients should be resuscitated with goal-directed fluid therapy using crystalloids and admitted to critical care unit. Routine prophylactic antibiotics have limited clinical benefit and should not be given in SAP. Patients able to tolerate oral intake should be given early enteral nutrition rather than nil by mouth or parenteral nutrition. If unable to tolerate per-orally, nasogastric feeding may be attempted and routine post-pyloric feeding has limited evidence of clinical benefit. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram should be selectively performed in patients with biliary obstruction or suspicion of acute cholangitis. Delayed step-up strategy including percutaneous retroperitoneal drainage, endoscopic debridement, or minimal-access necrosectomy are sufficient in most SAP patients. Patients should be monitored for diabetes mellitus and pseudocyst.

CT Characteristics of Acute Pancreatitis with Preexisting Fatty Liver and Its Impact on Pancreatitis Severity and Persistent Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.

Purpose: To study the CT characteristics of acute pancreatitis (AP) associated with preexisting fatty liver (FL) and the impact of preexisting FL on the severity of AP and persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Patients and Methods: A total of 189 patients with AP were divided into AP with and without preexisting FL. The CT features, clinical characteristics, severity of AP, and presence of persistent SIRS between the two groups were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for predicting SIRS. The diagnostic performances of the risk factors were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Among the 189 patients, 49.7% (94/189) had preexisting FL. On CT, AP patients with preexisting FL were more likely to develop necrosis (23.4% vs 10.5%, p=0.021), local complications (45.7% vs 29.5%, p=0.025) and persistent SIRS (59.6% vs 27.4%, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that preexisting FL (OR=2.863, 95% CI: 1.264-6.486, p=0.012), APACHE II≥6 (OR=1.334, 95% CI: 1.117-1.594, p=0.002), and MCTSI ≥4 (OR=1.489, 95% CI: 1.046-2.119, p=0.027) could be independent risk factors for persistent SIRS. The areas under the ROC curve of preexisting FL, APACHE II, and MCISI in diagnosing AP patients with persistent SIRS were 0.664, 0.703, and 0.783, respectively. Conclusion: Patients with preexisting FL were more likely to develop necrosis and local complications on CT and present more severe AP and persistent SIRS. Preexisting FL can be an independent risk factor in predicting the presence of persistent SIRS in patients with AP.

Natural Course of Early Detected Acute Peripancreatic Fluid Collection in Moderately Severe or Severe Acute Pancreatitis.

Background and Objectives: Acute peripancreatic fluid collection (APFC) is an acute local complication of acute pancreatitis (AP) according to the revised Atlanta classification. Sometimes APFC resolves completely, sometimes it changes into a pseudocyst or walled-off necrosis (WON), so called late complications. The aim of this study is to investigate the natural course of APFC detected on early computed tomography (CT) in moderately severe (MSAP) or severe AP (SAP). Materials and Methods: From October 2014 to September 2015, patients with MSAP or SAP were enrolled if there was APFC within 48 h of onset on imaging studies at six medical centers. The status of fluid collection was followed 4-8 weeks after onset. Initial laboratory findings, CT findings and clinical scoring systems were analyzed. Results: A total of 68 patients were enrolled and APFC was completely resolved in 32 (66.7%) patients in the MSAP group and 9 (34.6%) in the SAP group. Patients with a high bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score (≥3 points) were common in the SAP group. C-reactive protein (CRP) after 48 h from admission and BUN level were also high in the SAP group. In multivariate analysis, BISAP score (≥3 points), elevation of CRP after 48 h (≥150 mg/L) and nasojejunal feeding after 48 h were risk factors for the development of late complications. Conclusions: Spontaneous resolution of APFC was more common in MSAP group and APFC can be changed to pseudocyst or WON in patients with elevated BISAP score, CRP level after 48 h, and non-improved abdominal pain.

Review on acute pancreatitis attributed to COVID-19 infection.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known to cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Recent studies have revealed COVID-19-attributed acute pancreatitis (AP). However, clinical characteristics of COVID-19-attributed AP remain unclear. We performed a narrative review to elucidate relation between COVID-19 and AP using the PubMed database. Some basic and pathological reports revealed expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine 2, key proteins that aid in the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into the pancreas. The experimental and pathological evaluation suggested that SARS-CoV-2 infects human endocrine and exocrine pancreas cells, and thus, SARS-CoV-2 may have a direct involvement in pancreatic disorders. Additionally, systemic inflammation, especially in children, may cause AP. Levels of immune mediators associated with AP, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-10, interferon-γ, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and tumor necrosis factor-α are higher in the plasma of patients with COVID-19, that suggests an indirect involvement of the pancreas. In real-world settings, some clinical features of AP complicate COVID-19, such as a high complication rate of pancreatic necrosis, severe AP, and high mortality. However, clinical features of COVID-19-attributed AP remain uncertain due to insufficient research on etiologies of AP. Therefore, high-quality clinical studies and case reports that specify methods for differential diagnoses of other etiologies of AP are needed.

The course of acute pancreatitis in patients with different BMI groups.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk factors, Atlanta severity score, Balthazar-CTSI score, and disease course in patients of varying weight with acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: A retrospective evaluation was made of normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), and obese (OB) patients (n:1134) with respect to demographic findings, diabetes (DM)/hypertension, smoking/alcohol use, etiologies, laboratory findings, Balthazar/Atlanta severity scores, and disease outcomes. After consistency and associations among the BMI, Balthazar, and Atlanta groups were evaluated, combined effects of risk factors on mortality, hospital and ICU stays were re-examined statistically. RESULTS: In the OB group, mean age (p < 0.001), female gender (p < 0.001), increased BUN(p < 0.027) and Hct (p = 0.039), DM(p < 0.024), and mortality (p < 0.011) were statistically significant. In the non-NW groups, the rates of complications (40.6%/38.6%), mortality (3.7%/4.9%), interventional procedures (36%/39%), and length of hospital stay (11.6%/9.8%) were increased. Obesity constituted 23.7% of severe AP(SAP) and 50% of mortality. There was no significant relationship between Atlanta and Balthazar groups and BMI, nor between Balthazar and moderate AP (MSAP) to SAP. Old age (p = 0.000), male sex (p = 0.05), obesity (p = 0.046), alcohol (p = 0.014), low Hct (p = 0.044), high CRP (p = 0.024), MSAP/SAP (p = 0.02/(p < 0.001), and any complications (p < 0.001) increased the mortality risk. Female gender (p = 0.024), smoking (p = 0.021), hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.047), idiopathic etiology (p = 0.023), and MSAP/SAP (p < 0.001) associations increased ICU admission. Co-occurrences of higher Balthazar score (p < 0.001), MSAP/SAP (p < 0.001), all kinds of complications (p < 0.001), and recurrence (p = 0.040) increased the hospital stay (≥11 days). CONCLUSIONS: Although complications, mortality, longer hospitalization, and interventional procedures were observed more in the overweight and obese, successful prediction of Atlanta severity and Balthazar-CTSI scores based on BMI does not appear to be accurate. OB carries an increased risk for morbidity and mortality. The combined effects of risk factors increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and ICU admission.

Use of Modified Balthazar Grades for the Early Prediction of Acute Pancreatitis Severity in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new approach based on Balthazar grades of acute pancreatitis (AP) and to assess this modified method as a tool for the early prediction of AP severity in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: Data pertaining to AP patients ≥18 years old that had undergone computed tomography (CT) scanning within 24 h following ED admission between January 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated into two groups based on the length of time between the onset of their AP symptoms and the completion of CT scanning (Group 1: <72 h; Group 2: ≥72 h). Modified Balthazar grades for these patients were then assessed, with the concordance between these modified grades and the 2012 revised Atlanta classification being assessed using the Kappa (κ) statistic. The modified grade with the largest κ value was evaluated based on performance traits including Harrell's concordance index (C-index), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analyses, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses (DCA) in comparison with bedside index for severity in AP (BISAP) scores. RESULTS: In total, 372 patients were included in the present analysis. These patients were regraded according to six methods, with the method yielding the largest κ value consisting of regraded Balthazar grades A-C, D, and E, respectively, corresponding to mild, moderate, and severe AP. The κ values for this method were 0.786 (95% CI, 0.706-0.853) in Group 1 and 0.907 (95% CI, 0.842-0.955) in Group 2, exhibiting nearly complete agreement with the latest Atlanta classification of AP. AUROC values for these modified Balthazar grades when used to predict SAP were significantly higher than those for BISAP scores in Group 1, Group 2, and the overall cohort (P < 0.05). The DCA curves for Group 1, Group 2, and the overall patient cohort exhibited substantial net benefits when using these modified grades across a range of POFs relative to BISAP scores. The calibration curve for this modified approach to predicting POF in AP patients revealed good agreement in this cohort. CONCLUSION: Modified Balthazar grades exhibited substantial to near-total agreement with the 2012 revised Atlanta classification of AP patients, and this modified method can thus be used for the early prediction of AP severity in the ED.

Accuracy of a CT density threshold enhancement to identify pancreatic parenchyma necrosis in acute pancreatitis during the first week.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify attenuation threshold value on computed tomography (CT) that allowed discriminating between interstitial edematous pancreatitis (IEP) and necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) in patients with acute pancreatitis during the first week of the disease and evaluate interobserver reproducibility for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis category. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with acute pancreatitis who underwent CT examination of the abdomen between March 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively included. Actual diagnosis of IEP or NP was based on final clinical report, follow-up evaluation, and complications. Six regions of interest were manually placed in the pancreatic gland and peripancreatic fat, and differences in CT attenuation values before contrast injection and during the portal venous phase of enhancement were computed. Performance in the diagnosis of AP category was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Interobserver agreement was estimated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland Altman analysis was used to estimate reproducibility between pairs of observers. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients with NP (46 men, 20 women; mean age, 55 ± 17 [SD] years; age range: 20-89 years) and 70 patients with IEP (39 men, 31 women; mean age, 54 ± 18 [SD] years; age range: 21-87 years) were included. An enhancement value less than 30 Hounsfield units (HU) in the pancreatic gland during the portal phase compared to non-contrast phase, yielded 90.9% sensitivity (60/66; 95% CI: 81.3-96.6), 94.3% specificity (66/70; 95% CI: 86.0-98.4) and an area under curve of 0.958 (95% CI: 0.919-0.996) for the diagnosis of NP versus IEP. Interobserver reproducibility for pancreas enhancement was good using Bland Altman plot and ICC was excellent for pancreatic gland analysis (ICC 0.978; 95% CI: 0.961-0.988) but poor or moderate (ICC ≤0.634) regarding peripancreatic fat necrosis. CONCLUSION: By using a pancreas enhancement threshold value of 30 HU, CT is accurate and reproducible for the diagnosis of NP during the first week of the disease.

Predictors of prolonged hospitalization in patients with mild and moderate pancreatitis presenting to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute pancreatitis often present to the emergency department (ED) and usually require hospital admission. The aim of this study was to determine predictors of prolonged hospital stays in patients with mild forms of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients diagnosed in the ED with mild and moderate acute pancreatitis according to the revised Atlanta classification. Patients with available data between 2007 and 2017 were included and were divided based on their admission duration. Eight days or more was considered a long hospitalization. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to determine the independent predictors of prolonged hospital stays. RESULTS: Of the 485 evaluated patients, 335 were included in the analysis. Baseline characteristics, determined by vital signs and laboratory parameters, were similar between the short and long hospitalization groups. However, the long hospitalization group received more intravenous crystalloid in the ED, and this group used more diuretics and more angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin-receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB) drugs than the other group. Diuretic use was present in 8 patients (4.8%) in the short hospital length of stay group and in 26 patients (15.3%) in the long hospital length of stay group. Age, gender, ACEI/ARB use, diuretic use, total amount of intravenous crystalloid administered in the ED, aPTT, BUN, creatinine, and presence of biliary pathology were included in the multivariate analysis. Regarding the final analysis, diuretic use was an independent predictor of prolonged hospitalization (odds ratio 2.89, 95% confidence interval 1.05-8.00, p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Diuretic use is an independent predictor of long hospitalization in patients with mild and moderate pancreatitis. Drugs affecting total volume balance may prolong hospital stays in these patients.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection-Attributed Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread widely across the world inducing a global health crisis. Predominant signs of infection involve respiratory symptoms such as cough and dyspnea. Investigation into COVID-19 infection-associated gastrointestinal symptoms remains fluid. COVID-19-induced acute pancreatitis has been recorded from greater than 20 countries at this time. Herein, we submit a case of COVID-19-attributed acute pancreatitis, as well as a comprehensive assessment of previously reported cases of COVID-19-attributed acute pancreatitis.

[Classification of pancreatitis]. / Klassifikation der Pankreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Both, acute and chronic pancreatitis represent complex disease patterns, whose effective treatment is based on structured diagnostics and therapy by a multi-professional team. There are different systems for an improved objectivity in the classification of the severity of the disease OBJECTIVES: Overview of the common classifications of acute and chronic pancreatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature research of currently used classifications of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Evaluation of the current chronic pancreatitis guideline. RESULTS: For acute pancreatitis, the modified Atlanta Classification and the "determinant-based" classification are most widely used. These classifications are complemented by clinical risk scores such as the Marshall Score and the SOFA Score. In chronic pancreatitis, the image-based Cambridge classification was established. For clinical assessment further classifications such as the ABC classification and the M­ANNHEIM classification are applied evaluating leading symptoms such as pain, exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is an early marker of severe acute pancreatitis based on the revised Atlanta classification.

BACKGROUND: Various serum markers for early identification of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) have been studied. Serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was reported to be correlated with severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) based on the 1992 Atlanta classification. However, MIF has never been proven to be predictive of disease severity based on the revised Atlanta classification (RAC). The potential predictive value of MIF needs to be further validated. METHODS: Consecutive patients with AP within 48 h after symptom onset and 10 healthy control volunteers were enrolled prospectively. Serum MIF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The predictive value of MIF, clinical scores and other serum markers were determined. RESULTS: Among 143 patients with AP, there were 52 (36.4%), 65 (45.5%) and 26 (18.1%) with mild, moderate and severe disease based on the RAC respectively. Compared with healthy volunteers, serum levels of MIF were significantly higher in AP patients, especially those with SAP (P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that increased serum MIF (cut-off 2.30 ng/ml, OR = 3.16, P = 0.008), IL-6 (cut-off 46.8 pg/ml, OR = 1.21, P = 0.043), APACHE II score (cut-off 7.5, OR = 2.57, P = 0.011) and BISAP score (cut-off 1.5, OR = 1.01, P = 0.038) were independent risk factors for predicting SAP (P < 0.05). By using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), MIF (AUC 0.950) demonstrated more excellent discriminative power for predicting SAP than APACHE II (AUC 0.899), BISAP (AUC 0.886), and IL-6 (AUC 0.826). CONCLUSIONS: Serum MIF is a valuable early marker for predicting the severity of AP based on the RAC.

Triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index is an effective biomarker to identify severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is important to reduce morbidity and mortality. We investigated the association between the triglyceride and glucose index (TyG index) and the prognosis of severe AP (SAP). METHODS: The TyG index was calculated as: ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) x fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)]/2. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the independent association between the TyG index and the severity of AP. RESULTS: In this study, 373 patients with AP were recruited from three hospitals. The TyG index was higher in the SAP group than in the non-SAP group. Further, the TyG index was higher than in patients admitted to an intensive care unit and those who died of AP. The TyG index was an independent predictive factor for SAP (odds ratio 7.14, 95% confidence interval 2.80-18.19). The area under the curve increased significantly, from 0.738 to 0.830, after adding the TyG index to a predictive SAP model. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the TyG index is an independent prognostic factor in patients with AP and could be used as a simple prognostic indicator for SAP.

Atherogenic Index of Plasma Is a Potential Biomarker for Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) reflects the levels of triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the AIP and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) were prospectively enrolled from March 2015 to June 2019. The severity of AP was classified according to the 2012 revised Atlanta classification. Mild and moderately severe AP were categorized as non-SAP. The AIP is calculated as log(TG/HDL). RESULTS: A total of 323 patients were enrolled. The etiologies of AP were gallstone in 171 patients (52.9%), alcohol in 122 patients (37.8%), and hypertriglyceridemia in 30 patients (9.3%). Twenty-four patients (7.4%) were classified as SAP. The AIP was significantly higher in the SAP group compared to the non-SAP group (p < 0.001). The AIP was positively correlated with the Atlanta classification (R = 0.256, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the AIP was found to be an independent predictive factor for SAP (OR = 4.571; CI = 1.913-10.922; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The AIP is a potential biomarker for the prediction of SAP in clinical practice. This result provides that impaired lipid metabolism is associated with the severity of pancreatitis.

COVID-19 and Acute Pancreatitis: What Do Surgeons Need to Know?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) typically presents with pulmonary symptoms. Extra-pulmonary symptomatology of COVID-19 has drawn significant attention. However, information about the incidence, course and outcomes of acute pancreatitis in these patients is still limited.

COVID-19 presenting as acute pancreatitis.

The ongoing pandemic of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has spread over 200 countries worldwide, affecting >2 million people and >120,000 deaths. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The most common symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and fever. However, gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19 are increasingly being recognized. Herein, we report a case of COVID-19 who presented with acute pancreatitis (AP) without any other risk factors.