Clinical assessment and management of severe acute pancreatitis: a multi-disciplinary approach in the XXI century.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common gastrointestinal disorder requiring hospitalization, with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Severe AP is characterized by the presence of persistent organ failure involving single or multiple organs. Clinical evolution, laboratory and radiological assessment are necessary to evaluate the prognosis and inform the management of AP. The onset of severe AP may be classified in two principal phases. The early phase, during the first week, is characterized by the activation of the auto-inflammatory cascade, gut dysbiosis, bacterial translocation, and the down-regulation of immune responses. The late phase is characterized by the development of local and systemic complications. Several old paradigms have been amended in the management of AP patients, such as the indication of nutrition, the use of antibiotic therapy, pain control strategies, and even the use of surgery. Real world evidence has shown that in the majority of cases a step-up approach is most effective. In this review, we discuss the clinical assessment and improvements to the management of patients with severe AP in a high volume center where a multi-disciplinary approach is performed.

Intraoperative radiation therapy in resected pancreatic carcinoma: long-term analysis.

PURPOSE: The combination of external radiotherapy (RT) plus intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in patients with pancreatic cancer is still debated. This study presents long-term results (minimum follow-up, 102 months) for 26 patients undergoing integrated adjuvant RT (external RT+IORT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 1990 to 1995, a total of 17 patients with pancreatic cancer underwent IORT (10 Gy) and postoperative external RT (50.4 Gy). Preoperative "flash" RT was included for the last 9 patients. The liver and pancreatic head received 5 Gy (two 2.5-Gy fractions) the day before surgery. In the subsequent period (1996-1998), 9 patients underwent preoperative concomitant chemoradiation (39.6 Gy) with 5-fluorouracil, IORT (10 Gy), and adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Preoperative chemoradiation was completed in all patients, whereas postoperative therapy was completed in 13 of 17 patients. All 26 patients underwent pancreatectomy (25 R0 and one R1 resections). One patient died of postoperative complications (3.8%) not related to IORT. The 9 patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiation were candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy; however, only 4 of 9 underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. At last follow-up, 4 patients (15.4%) were alive and disease free. Disease recurrence was documented in 20 patients (76.9%). Sixteen patients (61.5%) showed distant metastasis, and 5 patients (19.2%) showed local recurrence. The incidence of local recurrence in R0 patients was 4 of 25 (16.0%). The overall 5-year survival rate was 15.4%. There was significant correlation with overall survival of tumor diameter (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of local recurrence in this long follow-up series (19.2%) was definitely less than that reported in other studies of adjuvant RT (approximately 50%), suggesting a positive impact on local control of integrated adjuvant RT (IORT+external RT).

Nutritional treatment with branched-chain amino acids in advanced liver cirrhosis.

During the last 20 years there has been much interest in nutritional treatment for patients with advanced cirrhosis. Most studies have measured the potential benefit of nutritional supplements of dietary proteins, generic protein hydrolysates, or specific branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched formulas in regard to nutritional parameters and hepatic encephalopathy. The issue is not definitively settled; data are conflicting and meta-analyses have failed to produce unequivocal results. A consensus review, recently produced under the auspices of the European Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, concluded that: (1) patients with cirrhosis tend to be hypermetabolic, and a higher-than-normal supply of dietary proteins is needed to achieve nitrogen balance; (2) most patients tolerate a normal or even increased dietary protein intake, without risk of hepatic encephalopathy; (3) a modified eating pattern, based on several meals and a late evening snack, is useful; (4) in severely malnourished patients, amino acid supplements may be considered to provide the necessary amount of proteins to meet protein requirements; (5) in a few patients intolerant to the required protein intake, BCAA supplements may be considered to provide the necessary nitrogen intake without detrimental effects on the mental state, perhaps even improving it. Future studies are needed to quantify the advantage of nutritional support with amino acids or BCAA supplements on overall well-being, complications, and ultimately survival with a long-lasting disease where self-perceived health-related quality of life is a major outcome.

Zinc supplementation and amino acid-nitrogen metabolism in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

Zinc deficiency is common in cirrhosis and has been involved in the altered nitrogen metabolism. In this study, we measured the effects of zinc supplementation on the dynamics of amino acid-derived urea synthesis in cirrhosis with mild or latent encephalopathy. The hepatic conversion of amino acids into urea was studied in eight patients with advanced cirrhosis under controlled conditions of substrate availability (continuous alanine infusion), before and after 3-month oral zinc sulfate supplementation (600 mg/d). Eight more patients, matched for hepatocellular failure and encephalopathy, served as controls. Plasma zinc levels were reduced in all patients and returned to normal after oral zinc. The alanine-stimulated urea nitrogen synthesis rate in relation to alpha-amino-N concentration--the functional hepatic nitrogen clearance--increased by 25% after zinc supplementation, i.e., more urea was produced at any alpha-amino-N concentration. Basal and alanine-induced glucagon decreased by 50%, and the ammonia response to alanine decreased by 30%. Psychometric tests improved, as did routine and dynamic liver function tests and the Child-Pugh score. Also, the plasma concentration of lipid peroxides was reduced by zinc. No significant changes were observed in the control group. Our data indicate that long-term oral zinc speeds up the kinetics of urea formation from amino acids and ammonia. Changes in the hormonal drive and/or the antioxidant activity of zinc might be involved in the general improvement in liver function, whereas the beneficial effects on encephalopathy might stem from decreased ammonia.

[Primary lymphoma of the small intestine: clinico-radiological correlations]. / Linfomi primitivi dell'intestino tenue: integrazione clinico-radiologica.

From 1987 to 1989, 7 patients were diagnosed as having a primary lymphoma of the small bowel. The patients, 5 men and 2 women aged 14-66 years (average: 45), were studied by means of small bowel enema and CT. Using small bowel enema, our findings were: masses related to a loop, stenosis, mucosal patterns with thick, irregular, and nodular folds, and bowel walls thickening. In nearly all cases CT showed not only small bowel lesions but also mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Five of seven patients had lymphomas, 1 had IP-SID lymphoma (immunoproliferative small intestinal disease related lymphoma), and 1 had IPSID associated with a late prelymphomatous stage. The diagnosis of IPSID is very important in patients with malabsorption syndrome, which may or may not be related to alpha heavy chain disease, because IPSID may evolve into lymphoma but its prelymphomatous stage can be treated and cured. We have therefore reported the different features seen with enteroclysis and CT, comparing the results obtained in the various forms of lymphoma of the small bowel. The importance is stressed of an accurate diagnosis of IPSID forms, however uncommon in our Country.

[Critical review of 222 cases of neoplastic pathology of the colon. Our experience using a computer]. / Revisione critica di 222 casi con patologia neoplastica del colon. Nostra esperienza mediante computer.

From August 1983 to December 1985, 2352 radiological examinations of the colon were performed in the Radiology Department of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Rome. From this group a sample of 222 patients was analyzed. They included 111 patients with colonic polyps and 111 with cancer. These cases were carefully examined, in terms of age, frequency of this pathology according to sex, symptom-illness rate, and the radiological data were compared with the endoscopic and histological findings. The data were processed using a computerized program. A critical correlation of the data obtained revealed that: 1) The surest symptom of colon carcinoma is blood in faeces with or without changes in defaecation frequency. Nor should isolated bowel disorders be ignored ("irritated" colon due to organic injuries). 2) The diagnostic accuracy of double contrast enema is very close to that of endoscopy, provided that intestinal cleaning is adequate (this in fact is an important aspect of the examination). 3) The mean age of patients in this group is high and cancer is more common than polyps. This seems to be due to the back of a complete diagnostic sequence, in which radiology has a specific and important role.