Propensity score matching analysis of laparoscopic surgery vs. open approach in 4 297 adult patients with acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis or gastrointestinal tract perforation: a prospective multicentre study of nationwide outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Previous studies indicated that laparoscopic surgery could improve postoperative outcomes in acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, perforated gastroduodenal ulcer, or acute diverticulitis, but some reported opposite results or differences in the magnitude of improvement. A contemporary analysis using propensity score matching that compares outcomes is lacking. METHODS: Over a 6-month period, 38 centres (5% of all public hospitals) attending emergency general surgery patients on a 24 h, 7 days a week basis, enroled all consecutive adult patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery or open approach. RESULTS: The study included 2 645 patients with acute appendicitis [32 years (22-51), 44.3% women], 1 182 with acute cholecystitis [65 years (48-76); 46.7% women], and 470 with gastrointestinal tract perforation [65 years (50-76); 34% women]. After propensity score matching, hospital stays decreased in acute appendicitis [open, 2 days (2-4); lap, 2 days (1-4); P <0.001], acute cholecystitis [open, 7 days (4-12); lap, 4 days (3-6); P <0.001], and gastrointestinal tract perforation [open, 11 days (7-17); lap, 6 days (5-8.5); P <0.001]. A decrease in 30-day morbidity was observed in acute appendicitis (open, 15.7%; lap, 9.7%; P <0.001), acute cholecystitis (open, 41%; lap, 21.7%; P <0.001), and gastrointestinal tract perforation (open, 45.2%; lap, 23.5%; P <0.001). A decrease in 30-day mortality was found in acute cholecystitis (open, 8.8%; lap, 2.8%; P =0.013) and gastrointestinal tract perforation (open, 10.4%; lap, 1.7%; P =0.013). CONCLUSIONS: This clinically based, multicentre study suggests that an initial laparoscopic approach could be considered not only in patients with acute appendicitis or acute cholecystitis but also in patients with a perforation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Survey on initial management of acute pancreatitis in Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: The population of Latin America harbors the highest incidence of gallstones and acute biliary pancreatitis, yet little is known about the initial management of acute pancreatitis in this large geographic region. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: We performed a post hoc analysis of responses from physicians based in Latin America to the international multidisciplinary survey on the initial management of acute pancreatitis. The questionnaire asked about management of patients during the first 72h after admission, related to fluid therapy, prescription of prophylactic antibiotics, feeding and nutrition, and timing of cholecystectomy. Adherence to clinical guidelines in this region was compared with the rest of the world. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 358 participants from 19 Latin American countries (median age, 39 years [33-47]; women, 27.1%). The proportion of participants in Latin America vs. the rest of the world who chose non-compliant options with clinical guidelines were: prescription of fluid therapy rate other than moderate (42.2% vs 34.3%, P=.02); prescription of prophylactic antibiotics for severe (10.6% vs 18.0%, P=.002), necrotizing (28.5% vs 36.9%, P=.008), or systemic inflammatory response syndrome-associated (21.2% vs 30.6%, P=.002) acute pancreatitis; not starting an oral diet to patients with oral tolerance (77.9% vs 71.1%, P=.02); and delayed cholecystectomy (16.2% vs 33.8%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Surveyed physicians in Latin America are less likely to prescribe antibiotics and to delay cholecystectomy when managing patients in the initial phase of acute pancreatitis compared to physicians in the rest of the world. Feeding and nutrition appear to require the greatest improvement.

International multidisciplinary survey on the initial management of acute pancreatitis: Perspective of point-of-care specialists focused on daily practice.

BACKGROUND: The initial management of patients with acute pancreatitis impacts both morbidity and mortality. Point-of-care decisions have been reported to differ from clinical guideline recommendations. METHODS: An online anonymous questionnaire was distributed through scientific associations and social media using REDCap. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics of participants associated with compliance with the recommendations. RESULTS: A total of 1054 participants from 94 countries completed the questionnaire; median age (IQR) was 39 (32-47) years; 30.7% were women. Among the participants, 37% opted for nonmoderate flow of i.v. fluid, 31% for fluid type other than Ringer's lactate; 73.4% were in favor of nil per os to patients who could eat, 75.5% for other than enteral feeding to patients with oral intolerance; 15.5% used prophylactic antibiotic in patients with severe acute pancreatitis, 34.1% in necrotizing acute pancreatitis, and 27.4% in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome; 27.8% delayed cholecystectomy after biliary acute pancreatitis. Participants with publications in PubMed on acute pancreatitis showed better compliance (OR, 1.62; 95% CI: 1.15-2.32; P = .007) with recommendations of the clinical guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Feeding and nutrition require the greatest improvement efforts, but also the use of prophylactic antibiotics and timing of cholecystectomy should be improved.

Textbook outcome among patients undergoing enhanced recovery after liver transplantation stratified by risk. A single-center retrospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Liver transplantation (LT) is one of the most complex surgical procedures. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) aims to reduce the risk of postoperative complications. When patients achieve all desirable outcomes after a procedure, they are considered to have experienced a textbook outcome (TO). METHODS: Two cohorts of patients undergoing low (n = 101) or medium risk (n = 15) LT were identified. The remaining patients (n = 65) were grouped separately. The ERAS protocol included pre-, intra-, and post-operative steps. TO was defined as the absence of complications, prolonged length of hospital stays, readmission and mortality during the first 90 days. RESULTS: One third of patients who underwent ERAS after LT experienced a TO. On multivariable analysis, age (OR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.01-1.09]; P = .02), and having hepatocellular carcinoma (OR, 2.83 [95% CI, 1.37-6.03]; P = .005) were individually associated with a greater probability of achieving a TO. Belonging to the cohorts of medium risk or outside the selection criteria was associated with a lower probability of achieving a TO (OR, 0.46 [96% CI, 0.22-0.93]; P = .03). Patients less likely to experience TO required more hospital resources. Patients who achieved TO were more likely to remain free of chronic kidney disease (achieved TO, 83.8% [82.7-85.6]; failed TO, 67.9% [66.9-70.2]; P < .05). Tacrolimus dose and trough levels were similar. CONCLUSIONS: A novel finding of our study is that short and medium-term kidney function is better preserved in patients who experience a TO. Better kidney function of patients who achieve TO is not due to lower tacrolimus dosage.

Enhanced recovery after low- and medium-risk liver transplantation. A single-center prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Few studies have fully applied an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol to liver transplantation (LT). Our aim was to assess the effects of a comprehensive ERAS protocol in our cohort of low- and medium-risk LT patients. METHODS: The ERAS protocol included pre-, intra-, and post-operative steps. During the five-year study period, 181 LT were performed in our institution. Two cohorts were identified: low risk patients (n = 101) had a laboratory model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 20 points or less at the time of LT, received a liver from a donor after brain death, and had a balance of risk score of 9 points or less; medium-risk patients (n = 15) had identical characteristics except for a higher MELD score (21-30 points). In addition, we analyzed the remaining patients (n = 65) who were transplanted over the same study period separately using the ERAS protocol. RESULTS: The low-risk cohort showed a low need for packed red blood cells transfusion (median: 0 units) and renal replacement therapy (1%), as well as a short length of stay both in the intensive care unit (13 h) and in the hospital (4 days); morbidity during one-year follow-up, and probability of surviving to one year (89.30%) and five years (76.99%) were in line with well-established reference data. Similar findings were observed in the medium-risk cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This single-center prospective observational cohort study provides evidence that ERAS is feasible and safe for low- and medium-risk LT.

Bacterial DNA translocation contributes to systemic inflammation and to minor changes in the clinical outcome of liver transplantation.

Bacterial (bact)DNA is an immunogenic product that frequently translocates into the blood in cirrhosis. We evaluated bactDNA clearance in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) and its association with inflammation and clinically relevant complications. We prospectively included patients consecutively admitted for LT in a one-year follow-up study. We evaluated bactDNA before and during the first month after LT, quantifying cytokine response at 30 days. One hundred patients were included. BactDNA was present in the blood of twenty-six patients undergoing LT. Twenty-four of these showed bactDNA in the portal vein, matching peripheral blood-identified bactDNA in 18 cases. Thirty-four patients showed bactDNA in blood during the first month after LT. Median TNF-α and IL-6 levels one month after LT were significantly increased in patients with versus without bactDNA. Serum TNF-α at baseline was an independent risk factor for bactDNA translocation during the first month after LT in the multivariate analysis (Odds ratio (OR) 1.14 [1.04 to 1.29], P = 0.015). One-year readmission was independently associated with the presence of bactDNA during the first month after LT (Hazard ratio (HR) 2.75 [1.39 to 5.45], P = 0.004). The presence of bactDNA in the blood of LT recipients was not shown to have any impact on complications such as death, graft rejection, bacterial or CMV infections. The rate of bactDNA translocation persists during the first month after LT and contributes to sustained inflammation. This is associated with an increased rate of readmissions in the one-year clinical outcome after LT.

An international multicenter study of early intravenous fluid administration and outcome in acute pancreatitis.

AIMS: Early aggressive fluid resuscitation in acute pancreatitis is frequently recommended but its benefits remain unproven. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes associated with early fluid volume administration in the emergency room (FVER) in patients with acute pancreatitis. METHODS: A four-center retrospective cohort study of 1010 patients with acute pancreatitis was conducted. FVER was defined as any fluid administered from the time of arrival to the emergency room to 4 h after diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, and was divided into tertiles: nonaggressive (<500 ml), moderate (500 to 1000 ml), and aggressive (>1000 ml). RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-nine (26.6%), 427 (42.3%), and 314 (31.1%) patients received nonaggressive, moderate, and aggressive FVER respectively. Compared with the nonaggressive fluid group, the moderate group was associated with lower rates of local complications in univariable analysis, and interventions, both in univariable and multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.37 (0.14-0.98)). The aggressive resuscitation group was associated with a significantly lower need for interventions, both in univariable and multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio 0.21 (0.05-0.84)). Increasing fluid administration categories were associated with decreasing hospital stay in univariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Early moderate to aggressive FVER was associated with lower need for invasive interventions.

aLicante sUrgical Community Emergencies New Tool for the enUmeration of Morbidities: a simplified auditing tool for community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergencies.

BACKGROUND: In a previous study, we found that Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) overpredicts morbidity risk in emergency gastrointestinal surgery. Our aim was to find a POSSUM equation adjustment. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed on 2,361 patients presenting with a community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergency. The first 1,000 surgeries constituted the development cohort, the second 1,000 events were the first validation intramural cohort, and the remaining 361 cases belonged to a second validation extramural cohort. RESULTS: (1) A modified POSSUM equation was obtained. (2) Logistic regression was used to yield a statistically significant equation that included age, hemoglobin, white cell count, sodium and operative severity. (3) A chi-square automatic interaction detector decision tree analysis yielded a statistically significant equation with 4 variables, namely cardiac failure, sodium, operative severity, and peritoneal soiling. CONCLUSIONS: A modified POSSUM equation and a simplified scoring system (aLicante sUrgical Community Emergencies New Tool for the enUmeration of Morbidities [LUCENTUM]) are described. Both tools significantly improve prediction of surgical morbidity in community-acquired gastrointestinal surgical emergencies.

Evidence-based Guidelines for the Management of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency After Pancreatic Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence-based recommendations for the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) after pancreatic surgery. BACKGROUND: EPI is a common complication after pancreatic surgery but there is certain confusion about its frequency, optimal methods of diagnosis, and when and how to treat these patients. METHODS: Eighteen multidisciplinary reviewers performed a systematic review on 10 predefined questions following the GRADE methodology. Six external expert referees reviewed the retrieved information. Members from Spanish Association of Pancreatology were invited to suggest modifications and voted for the quantification of agreement. RESULTS: These guidelines analyze the definition of EPI after pancreatic surgery, (one question), its frequency after specific techniques and underlying disease (four questions), its clinical consequences (one question), diagnosis (one question), when and how to treat postsurgical EPI (two questions) and its impact on the quality of life (one question). Eleven statements answering those 10 questions were provided: one (9.1%) was rated as a strong recommendation according to GRADE, three (27.3%) as moderate and seven (63.6%) as weak. All statements had strong agreement. CONCLUSIONS: EPI is a frequent but under-recognized complication of pancreatic surgery. These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for the definition, diagnosis, and management of EPI after pancreatic surgery.

Bacterial DNA translocation holds increased insulin resistance and systemic inflammatory levels in morbid obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Morbidly obese patients show several common comorbidities associated with immunological alterations such as a sustained low-level proinflammatory profile. Bacterial product translocation is frequent in inflammation-related diseases and may aggravate patients' clinical outcome. DESIGN: Consecutively admitted morbidly obese patients who presented indications for bariatric surgery were studied. Before surgery, patients were subjected to a modified fasting diet. Patients underwent surgery by sleeve gastrectomy or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Clinical and analytical parameters were recorded. Blood samples were collected at baseline, at the end of a 3-month modified fasting period, and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Serum cytokine and endotoxin levels were evaluated by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. Bacterial DNA was identified in blood by broad-range PCR of prokaryote 16SrRNA gene and partial sequencing analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were included in the study. All patients showed a significantly reduced weight and body mass index at each time-point. Postoperative mortality was null. Bacterial DNA translocation rate was 32.8% (19 of 58) at baseline; 13.8% (8 of 58) after the modified fasting period; and 13.8% (8 of 58), 1.8% (1 of 58), and 5.2% (3 of 58) at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Proinflammatory cytokines, serum endotoxin levels, and insulin resistance remained increased in patients with bacterial DNA despite weight loss and were individually affected by the appearance/clearance of bacterial DNA in blood. Multivariate analyses revealed bacterial DNA as an independent significant factor, explaining the systemic cytokine response and the insulin resistance levels in the studied population. CONCLUSION: Bacterial DNA translocation holds increased insulin resistance and systemic inflammatory levels in morbidly obese patients despite significant weight loss.

Early factors associated with fluid sequestration and outcomes of patients with acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Predicting level of fluid sequestration could help identify patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) who need more or less aggressive fluid resuscitation. We investigated factors associated with level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission in patients with AP and effects on outcome. METHODS: We analyzed data from consecutive adult patients with AP admitted to the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, from June 2005 to December 2007 (n = 266) or the Alicante University General Hospital in Spain from September 2010 to December 2012 (n = 137). Level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission was calculated by subtracting the total amount of fluid administered and lost in the first 48 hours of hospitalization. Demographic and clinical variables obtained in the emergency department were analyzed to identify factors associated with level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission. Outcome assessed included length of hospital stay, acute fluid collection(s), pancreatic necrosis, persistent organ failure, and mortality. RESULTS: The median level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission was 3.2 L (1.4-5 L). The simple and multiple linear regression models showed that younger age, alcohol etiology, hematocrit, glucose, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome were significantly associated with increased levels of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission. Increased level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours was significantly associated with longer hospital stays and higher rates of acute fluid collection, pancreatic necrosis, and persistent organ failure. There was a nonsignificant trend toward a higher level of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours among patients who died. CONCLUSION: Age, alcoholic etiology of AP, hematocrit, glucose, and presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome in the emergency department were independent predictors of increased levels of fluid sequestration in the first 48 hours after hospital admission. These patients have higher risks of local and systemic complications and longer hospital stays.

Validation of the determinant-based classification and revision of the Atlanta classification systems for acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Two new classification systems for the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) have been proposed, the determinant-based classification (DBC) and a revision of the Atlanta classification (RAC). Our aim was to validate and compare these classification systems. METHODS: We analyzed data from adult patients with AP (543 episodes of AP in 459 patients) who were admitted to Hospital General Universitario de Alicante from December 2007 to February 2013. Imaging results were reviewed, and the classification systems were validated and compared in terms of outcomes. RESULTS: Pancreatic necrosis was present in 66 of the patients (12%), peripancreatic necrosis in 109 (20%), walled-off necrosis in 61 (11%), acute peripancreatic fluid collections in 98 (18%), and pseudocysts in 19 (4%). Transient and persistent organ failures were present in 31 patients (6%) and 21 patients (4%), respectively. Sixteen patients (3%) died. On the basis of the DBC, 386 (71%), 131 (24%), 23 (4%), and 3 (0.6%) patients were determined to have mild, moderate, severe, or critical AP, respectively. On the basis of the RAC, 363 patients (67%), 160 patients (30%), and 20 patients (4%) were determined to have mild, moderately severe, or severe AP, respectively. The different categories of severity for each classification system were associated with statistically significant and clinically relevant differences in length of hospital stay, need for admission to the intensive care unit, nutritional support, invasive treatment, and in-hospital mortality. In comparing similar categories between the classification systems, no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: The DBC and the RAC accurately classify the severity of AP in subgroups of patients.

[Recommendations of the Spanish Pancreatic Club on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis: part 2 (treatment)]. / Recomendaciones del Club Español Pancreático para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la pancreatitis crónica: parte 2 (tratamiento).

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a complex disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic disease to disabling forms or serious complications. The management of CP frequently differs among geographical areas and even among centers. These differences are due to the scarcity of high-quality studies and clinical practice guidelines that focus on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. The aim of the Spanish Pancreatic Club was to create evidence-based recommendations for the management of CP. Two coordinators chose a multidisciplinary panel of 24 experts in this disease. These experts were selected on the basis of their clinical and research experience in CP. A list of questions was drawn up and each question was then reviewed by two panelists. These questions were then used to produce a draft, which was discussed in a face-to-face meeting with all the participants. Levels of evidence were based on the classification of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. In the second part of the consensus process, recommendations were established for the management of pain, pseudocysts, biliary and duodenal stenosis, pancreatic fistula and ascites, left portal hypertension, diabetes mellitus, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and nutritional support in CP.

[Recommendations of the Spanish Pancreatic Club on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis: part 1 (diagnosis)]. / Recomendaciones del Club Español Pancreático para el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la pancreatitis crónica: parte 1 (diagnóstico).

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a relatively uncommon, complex and highly heterogeneous disease. There is no clear pattern applicable to the initial stages of CP, which hampers its early diagnosis. Some of the complications of CP, especially chronic pain, can be difficult to manage. There is wide variation in the diagnosis and treatment of CP and its complications among centers and health professionals. The Spanish Pancreatic Club has developed a consensus document on the management of CP. Two coordinators chose a multidisciplinary panel of 24 experts in this disease. A list of questions was drawn up. Each question was reviewed by two experts. These questions were then used to produce a draft, which was discussed in a face-to-face meeting with all the participants. The first part of the consensus document focusses on the diagnosis of CP and its complications.