Residual pancreatic function after pancreaticoduodenectomy is better preserved with pancreaticojejunostomy than pancreaticogastrostomy: A long-term analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatico-enteric anastomosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy can be performed using either a pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) or pancreaticogastrostomy (PG). Differences in surgical outcomes are still a matter of debate, and less is known about long-term functional outcomes. METHODS: Twelve years after the conclusion of a comparative study evaluating the surgical outcomes of PJ and PG (Bassi et al., Ann Surg 2005), available patients underwent morphological and functional pancreatic assessment: pancreatic volume and duct diameter measured by MRI, impaired secretion after secretin, fecal fat, fecal elastase-1 (FE-1), serum vitamin D and endocrine function. Quality of life and symptom scores were evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. RESULTS: Only 34 patients were available for assessment. No differences were found in terms of BMI variation, endocrine function, quality of life or symptoms. Exocrine function was more severely impaired after PG than after PJ (fecal fats 26.6 ±â€¯4.1 vs 18.2 ±â€¯3.6 g/day; FE-1 121.4 ±â€¯6.7 vs 170.2 ±â€¯25.5 µg/g, vitamin D 18.1 ±â€¯1.8 vs. 23.2 ±â€¯3.1 ng/mL). MRI assessment identified a lower pancreatic volume (26 ±â€¯3.1 vs. 36 ±â€¯4.1 cm3) and a more dilated pancreatic duct (4.6 ±â€¯0.92 vs. 2.4 ±â€¯0.18 mm) in patients with PG compared to those with PJ. CONCLUSION: Compared to PJ, PG is associated with a more severely impaired exocrine function long-term, but they result similar endocrine function and quality of life. In patients with a long life expectancy, this should be taken into account.

Role of Amylase-α2A Autoantibodies in the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Several serological markers have been reported in autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) patients. However, only serum IgG4 (sIgG4) is available in clinical practice for AIP diagnosis. Antiamylase α antibodies (AMY-α Abs) have been proposed to diagnose AIP. This study evaluates the utility of AMY-α Abs and sIgG4 for AIP diagnosis. METHODS: Twenty-five AIP patients, 84 disease control groups (31 chronic pancreatitis, 30 acute pancreatitis, 23 pancreatic adenocarcinoma), and 59 healthy donors were prospectively studied. The AMY-α Abs were determined by homemade enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and sIgG4 by nephelometry. RESULTS: Increased sIgG4 were detected to be present in 52% of AIP, 5% in control groups, and 0% in healthy donors, and AMY-α Abs, respectively, in 76%, 36%, and 2%. sIgG4 was elevated in 92% of the 13 patients with type 1 AIP, but in none of 3 with type 2 and of 8 with not otherwise specified AIP. The AMY-α Abs were present in 79%, 67%, and 75% of type 1, type 2, and not otherwise specified AIP, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of AMY-α Abs were 76% and 78%, and of sIgG4 50% and 94%. By combining the 2 serological markers, sensitivity was 41%, and specificity was 99%. CONCLUSIONS: The AMY-α Abs may help to diagnosis of AIP and to differentiate AIP subtypes.

Frequency and characterization of benign lesions in patients undergoing surgery for the suspicion of solid pancreatic neoplasm.

OBJECTIVES: A diagnosis of benign lesions (BLs) is reported in 5% to 21% of pancreatoduodenectomies performed for neoplasms; no data for body-tail resections are available. The aims were to investigate the frequency and characterize the BLs mimicking cancer in the head and the body-tail of the pancreas. METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of pancreatic specimenscollected from 2005 to 2011 in the pathology database of Mainz (Germany). Patients with final diagnosis excluding malignancy were analyzed by histology, imaging, and clinical aspects. RESULTS: Among 373 patients, 33 patients (8.8%) were diagnosed with a benign disease: 25 (8.4%) of 298 in the pancreatic head and 8 (10.7%) of 75 in the body-tail resections. Paraduodenal pancreatitis was diagnosed in 13 (3.5%) of 373 patients; autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), in 11 (2.9%); "ordinary" chronic pancreatitis, in 6 (1.6%); and accessory spleen, in 3 (0.8%). In pancreatic head resections, the most frequent diagnoses were paraduodenal pancreatitis (13/298, 4.4%) and AIP (9/298, 3%), whereas in the body-tail, the most frequent diagnoses were accessory spleen (3/75, 4%), chronic pancreatitis (3/75, 4%), and AIP (2/75, 2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Benign lesions are observed with the same frequency inspecimens of the head or the body-tail of the pancreas.

Retrospective comparison between preoperative diagnosis by International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria and histological diagnosis in patients with focal autoimmune pancreatitis who underwent surgery with suspicion of cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the preoperative diagnosis by International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria (ICDC) with histological diagnosis in patients with focal autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) who underwent surgery. METHODS: Thirty patients (type 1 AIP in 23 and type 2 AIP in 7) with a diagnosis of AIP based on histology of surgical specimens were classified according to ICDC based on their preoperative data. RESULTS: Pancreatic core biopsies and diagnostic steroid trial were not preoperatively performed in any of the patients. Based on preoperative data, ICDC diagnosed 6 patients (20%) as having type 1 AIP and 24 (80%) as probable AIP. Assuming all patients had responded to a steroid trial preoperatively, ICDC would have diagnosed 8 patients (27%) as having type 1 AIP, 4 (13%) as type 2 AIP, 10 as AIP-not otherwise specified (33%), and 8 (27%) as probable AIP. In the hypothetical situation, 7 of 8 type 1 AIP patients and 3 of 3 type 2 AIP patients would have been classified into the correct subtype of AIP. CONCLUSIONS: A steroid trial enhances the possibility of correctly diagnosing AIP by ICDC despite the lack of histology. However, some patients cannot be diagnosed as having AIP or be classified into the correct subtype without histology.

Prospective evaluation of subjects with chronic asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic asymptomatic pancreatic hyperenzymemia (CAPH) has been described since 1996 as a benign disease. Recent studies described pathological findings at magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with secretin stimulation (s-MRCP) in more than half of the CAPH subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and clinical relevance of s-MRCP findings in patients with CAPH. METHODS: Subjects prospectively enrolled from January 2005 to December 2010 underwent s-MRCP and biochemical tests routinely performed. RESULTS: Data relative to 160 subjects (94 males, 66 females, age 49.6±13.6 years) were analyzed. In all, 51 (32%) subjects had hyperamylasemia, 9 (6%) hyperlipasemia, and 100 (62%) an increase in both enzyme levels. The time between the first increased dosage of serum pancreatic enzymes and our observation was 3.3±3.9 years (range: 1-15). Familial pancreatic hyperenzymemia was observed in 26 out of 133 subjects (19.5%). Anatomic abnormalities of the pancreatic duct system at s-MRCP were found in 24 out of 160 subjects (15%). Pathological MRCP findings were present in 44 subjects (27.5%) before and in 80 subjects (50%) after secretin administration (P<0.0001). Five subjects (3.1%) underwent surgery, 3 for pancreatic endocrine tumor, 1 for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and 1 for intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) involving the main pancreatic duct, and 18 patients (11.3%) needed a follow-up (17 for IPMN and 1 for endocrine tumor). CONCLUSIONS: Alterations of the pancreatic duct system at s-MRCP in subjects with CAPH can be observed in 50% of the subjects and are clinically relevant in 14.4% of cases.

Italian consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis.

This paper gives practical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis. Statements have been elaborated by working teams of experts, by searching for and analysing the literature, and submitted to a consensus process by using a Delphi modified procedure. The statements report recommendations on clinical and nutritional approach, assessment of pancreatic function, treatment of exocrine pancreatic failure and of secondary diabetes, treatment of pain and prevention of painful relapses. Moreover, the role of endoscopy in approaching pancreatic pain, pancreatic stones, duct narrowing and dilation, and complications was considered. Recommendations for most appropriate use of various imaging techniques and of ultrasound endoscopy are reported. Finally, a group of recommendations are addressed to the surgical treatment, with definition of right indications, timing, most appropriate procedures and techniques in different clinical conditions and targets, and clinical and functional outcomes following surgery.

Identification of a novel antibody associated with autoimmune pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune pancreatitis is characterized by an inflammatory process that leads to organ dysfunction. The cause of the disease is unknown. Its autoimmune origin has been suggested but never proved, and little is known about the pathogenesis of this condition. METHODS: To identify pathogenetically relevant autoantigen targets, we screened a random peptide library with pooled IgG obtained from 20 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis. Peptide-specific antibodies were detected in serum specimens obtained from the patients. RESULTS: Among the detected peptides, peptide AIP(1-7) was recognized by the serum specimens from 18 of 20 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis and by serum specimens from 4 of 40 patients with pancreatic cancer, but not by serum specimens from healthy controls. The peptide showed homology with an amino acid sequence of plasminogen-binding protein (PBP) of Helicobacter pylori and with ubiquitin-protein ligase E3 component n-recognin 2 (UBR2), an enzyme highly expressed in acinar cells of the pancreas. Antibodies against the PBP peptide were detected in 19 of 20 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (95%) and in 4 of 40 patients with pancreatic cancer (10%). Such reactivity was not detected in patients with alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. The results were validated in another series of patients with autoimmune pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer: 14 of 15 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (93%) and 1 of 70 patients with pancreatic cancer (1%) had a positive test for anti-PBP peptide antibodies. When the training and validation groups were combined, the test was positive in 33 of 35 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (94%) and in 5 of 110 patients with pancreatic cancer (5%). CONCLUSIONS: The antibody that we identified was detected in most patients with autoimmune pancreatitis but also in some patients with pancreatic cancer, making it an imperfect test to distinguish between these two conditions.

Assessment of Crohn's disease activity in the small bowel with MR-enteroclysis: clinico-radiological correlations.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating Crohn's disease (CD) activity compared to clinical/laboratory data. METHODS: Ninety-three consecutive patients with CD were prospectively studied by MR imaging, before and after Gadolinium chelates administration, with use of a biphasic endoluminal contrast agent. MR image analysis included: number of lesions, presence/absence of bowel stenosis, upstream bowel dilation, wall thickness, presence of enhancement, enhancement pattern, presence/absence of comb sign, lymph nodes, and perianal fistulas/abscesses. Clinical evaluation was performed by means of Harvey & Bradshaw Index. Acute-phase reactants were considered standard of reference to monitor biological activity (BA). MR imaging findings were compared with clinical and laboratory data. RESULTS: MR image analysis detected: In 96 exams multiple lesions in 16, 1 in 50; no lesions in 30; stenosis in 52; dilatation in 28; wall thickening in 59; significant enhancement in 57; layered pattern in 50; comb sign in 37; enlarged lymph nodes in 16; fibro-fatty proliferation in 40; fistulas in 9. CONCLUSIONS: MRI is able to depict morphological changes and is helpful in assessing Crohn's inflammatory disease.

Smoking cessation at the clinical onset of chronic pancreatitis and risk of pancreatic calcifications.

OBJECTIVE: Cigarette smoking is associated with a higher risk of developing chronic pancreatitis (CP) and increases the likelihood of developing pancreatic calcifications. The aim of this study was to know whether smoking cessation modifies the course of the disease. METHODS: Patients with CP who had been followed up for more than 6 years from clinical onset and who had not developed calcifications after 5 years were analyzed. We studied smokers, never-smokers, and patients who had given up smoking within 5 years. For actuarial analysis, the sixth year was considered as time 0. RESULTS: Of the 360 patients, there were 43 women and 317 men (88.1%) with a mean age of 38.7 years. The median follow-up was 19.0 years. Chronic pancreatitis was alcohol-associated in 255 patients, hereditary in 10, obstructive in 54, and idiopathic in 41. There were 317 smokers (88.1%) and 259 alcohol drinkers (71.9%). At the end of the follow-up, 212 patients (59.8%) developed calcifications. Concerning the risk of calcifications, never-smokers and ex-smokers had similar actuarial curves, and these were significantly different from the curve for smokers (P < 0.003). Considering never-smokers as the reference class, ex-smokers had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.56 (95.0% confidence interval [CI], 0.2-1.4; P = not significant), patients smoking 1 to 10 cigarettes per day had an OR of 1.95 (95.0% CI, 1.1-3.4; P < 0.019), patients smoking 11 to 20 cigarettes per day had an OR of 1.76 (95.0% CI, 1.1-2.8; P < 0.0018), and those smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day had an OR of 1.79 (95.0% CI, 1.1-2.9; P < 0.019). Alcohol cessation seems to have no influence. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation in the first years from the clinical onset of CP reduces the risk of developing pancreatic calcifications.

Randomized controlled trial of botulinum toxin versus laparoscopic heller myotomy for esophageal achalasia.

OBJECTIVE: To compare laparoscopic cardia myotomy and fundoplication with botulinum toxin (BoTx) injection in patients with esophageal achalasia. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Although myotomy is thought to offer better results, recent studies have reported 80% success rates after 2 BoTx injections a month apart. No randomized controlled trials comparing the 2 treatments have been published so far. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Newly diagnosed achalasia patients were randomly assigned to BoTx injection or laparoscopic myotomy. Symptoms were scored; lower esophageal sphincter resting and nadir pressures were measured by manometry; barium swallow was used to assess esophageal diameter pre- and post-treatment. Eight to one hundred units of BoTx were injected twice, a month apart, at the esophagogastric junction. Myotomy included anterior partial (Dor) or Nissen fundoplication. RESULTS: Eighty patients were involved in the study: 40 received BoTx and 40 underwent myotomy. Mortality was nil. One surgical patient bled from the trocar site. Median hospital stay was 6 days for surgery; BoTox patients were treated as day-hospital admissions. All patients completed the follow-up. After 6 months, the results in the 2 groups were comparable, although symptom scores improved more in surgical patients (82% confidence interval [CI] 76-89 vs. 66% CI 57-75, P < 0.05). The drop in lower esophageal sphincter pressure was similar in the 2 groups; the reduction in esophageal diameter was greater after surgery (19% CI 13-26 vs. 5% CI 2-11, P < 0.05). Later on, symptoms recurred in 65% of the BoTx-treated patients and the probability of being symptom-free at 2 years was 87.5% after surgery and 34% after BoTx (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic myotomy is as safe as BoTx treatment and is a 1-shot treatment that cures achalasia in most patients. BoTx should be reserved for patients who are unfit for surgery or as a bridge to more effective therapies, such as surgery or endoscopic dilation.

[Current trends of artificial enteral nutrition in acute pancreatitis]. / Attuali indirizzi di nutrizione artificiale enterale nella pancreatite acuta.

During recent years, there has been considerable debate as to the nutritional supply that needs to be established for a patient with acute pancreatitis. The main problem is still infection of the pancreatic necrosis, which has a decisive bearing on the indication for surgery and is the main cause of mortality. Infection stems from bacterial translocation from the patient's gut. Enteral nutrition with its known potential for reducing this type of infection constitutes an attempt to prevent it by preserving the enteric mucosal barrier. Today, the concept of pancreatic rest is no longer considered mandatory in the guidelines of many Surgical and Nutritional Societies, whilst enteral nutrition is the gold standard for acute pancreatitis. Assuring an integrated parenteral and enteral supply before reaching the full regimen of enteral nutrition is the most reliable policy during the early days of the disease. Moreover, outcomes being equal, enteral nutrition is cheaper than parenteral nutrition, as has been extensively demonstrated in many clinical trials in severe acute pancreatitis.