FASTING INCREASES THE SEVERITY OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN A MOUSE MODEL: IMPLICATIONS FOR PREOPERATIVE INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE COMPLICATIONS OF PANCREATIC SURGERY.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis following surgical or endoscopic procedures on the pancreas can compromise the outcome and lead to severe complications and even death. The aim of this study was to determine whether prolonged fasting affects the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Male mice were divided into 4 groups: Group CF (n=5) control animals that fasted for 24 hours; Group CNF (n=5) control animals that did not fast; Group APF (n=7) that fasted for 24 hours and underwent induction of acute pancreatitis (AP) and Group APNF (n=7) that did not fast and underwent AP. Eight hours after AP blood was collected for evaluation of cytokines: IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and MCP-1. Liver tissue was collected for determination of Malondialdehyde, pancreatic tissue for determination of enzyme content and lung tissue for determination of myeloperoxidase. RESULTS: Significant increase in pancreatic amylase content was observed in group CF and increased serum levels of IL -6, Il-10 and MCP-1 were in group APF. Liver malondialdehyde was also increased in APF animals. APF group showed much more necrosis of the pancreatic acinar cells. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we observed an increase in the severity of acute pancreatitis with prolonged fasting in a severe acute pancreatitis model. These results suggest that in clinical practice, the preoperative fasting time should be shortened before pancreatic procedures.

[Severe acute pancreatitis secondary to hypertriglyceridemia as the onset of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in the pediatric age]. / Pancreatitis aguda grave secundaria a hipertrigliceridemia como debut de Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 en edad pediátrica.

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) secondary to insulin deficiency following the onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a rare but serious complication in children. OBJECTIVE: To describe the diagnosis and treatment of severe HTG and to emphasize the need for timely diagnosis of T1DM. CLINICAL CASE: A 15-year-old female adolescent with a history of overweight presented with a two-weeks history of fever, anorexia, and diffuse abdominal pain. Laboratory tests revealed triglycerides of 17,580 mg/dL, lipase of 723 U/L, and blood glucose of 200 mg/dL. An abdominal CT scan showed an enlarged and edematous pancreas. She was hospitalized with a diagnosis of AP and severe HTG, which progressed to acute necro-hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Treatment included continuous intravenous insulin infusion until triglyceride levels decreased. Upon discontinuation of insulin, fasting hyperglycemia (206 mg/dL) and metabolic acidosis recurred, therefore DM was suspected. Upon targeted questioning, a history of polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss during the last 3 months stood out. Glycated hemoglobin was markedly elevated (14.7%). Insulin therapy was optimized, achieving stabilization of laboratory parameters after 15 days of treatment and complete anatomical resolution of pancreatic involvement at one year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of severe HTG in pediatrics compels us to consider its secondary causes, such as the onset of T1DM. It is crucial to improve the ability to diagnose T1DM early, as it may present with infrequent and high-risk presentations for the patient.

Effectiveness of the pharmacological therapy to prevent post ERCP acute pancreatitis: a network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of the different pharmacological agents in preventing post-ERCP acute pancreatitis. METHODS: We included clinical trials of pharmacological interventions for prophylaxis of acute post-ERCP pancreatitis. The event evaluated was acute pancreatitis. We conducted a search strategy in MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to nowadays. We reported the information in terms of relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval. We assessed the heterogeneity using the I2 test. RESULTS: We included 84 studies for analysis (30,463 patients). The mean age was 59.3 years (SD ± 7.01). Heterogeneity between studies was low (I2 = 34.4%) with no inconsistencies (p = 0.2567). Post ERCP pancreatitis was less in prophylaxis with NSAIDs (RR 0.65 95% CI [0.52 to 0.80]), aggressive hydration with Lactate Ringer (RR 0.32 95% CI [0.12-0.86]), NSAIDs + isosorbide dinitrate (RR 0.28 95% CI [0.11-0.71]) and somatostatin and analogues (RR 0.54 [0.43 to 0.68]) compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: NSAIDs, the Combination of NSAIDs + isosorbide dinitrate, somatostatin and analogues, and aggressive hydration with lactate ringer are pharmacological strategies that can prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis when compared to placebo. More clinical trials are required to determine the effectiveness of these drugs.

Disfunción del esfínter de Oddi (DEO) ¿Qué hay de nuevo? / Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) What's new?

The sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is considered a significant cause of post-cholecystectomy biliary pain and recurrent idiopathic pancreatitis, but its diagnosis and treatment have been controversial. Therapeutic options include pharmacological therapy, based on studies with varying efficacy and low levels of evidence, and endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) in selected patients. The Rome IV expert panel redefined SOD and its treatment. SOD type I is due to organic stenosis of the sphincter, benefiting from ES, while SOD type III is functional pain that should be managed accordingly. The suspicion of SOD (formerly SOD type II) is complex to diagnose due to the overlap of other processes and the lack of definitive diagnostic tests. ES has questio - nable results due to high placebo response rates and associated risks. Current evidence advises against ES in pancreatic SOD for the treatment and prevention of recurrent acute pancreatitis. In biliary SOD, its use remains controversial, although a recent prospective study found that nearly 60% of patients improved with ES. In conclusion, the management of SOD requires a multidisciplinary approach to avoid interventions with limited benefit and high risk

La disfunción del esfínter de Oddi (DEO) se considera una causa importante de dolor biliar poscolecistectomía y pancreatitis recurrente idiopática, pero su diagnóstico y tratamiento han sido controvertidos. Las opciones terapéuticas incluyen la terapia farmacológica, basada en estudios con diferentes eficacias y bajo nivel de evi - dencia, y la terapia endoscópica con esfinterotomía (EE) en pacientes seleccionados. El panel de expertos Roma IV redefinió la DEO y su tratamiento; la DEO tipo I se debe a estenosis orgánica del EO, beneficiándose de la EE, mientras que la DEO tipo III es un dolor de causa funcional que debe manejarse como tal. La sospecha de DEO (antigua DEO tipo II) es compleja de diagnosticar debido a la superposición de otros procesos y la falta de pruebas diagnósticas definitivas. La EE tiene resultados cuestionables debido a las altas tasas de respuesta al placebo y los riesgos asociados. La evidencia actual desaconseja la EE en DEO pancreática como tratamiento y prevención de pancreatitis aguda recurrente. En DEO de tipo biliar, su uso sigue siendo controvertido, aunque un estudio prospectivo reciente encontró que casi el 60% de los pacientes mejoraron con la EE. En conclusión, el manejo de la DEO requiere un enfoque multidisciplinario para evitar intervenciones con poco beneficio y alto riesgo.

Nasogastric versus nasojejunal tube feeding for severe acute pancreatitis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Early enteral nutrition through a feeding tube is essential for the management of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Nasojejunal tube nutrition has been preferred on the assumption that it provided pancreatic rest in comparison to the nasogastric tube. However, nasojejunal tube placement is complex, may delay feeding initiation and can increase hospital costs. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of enteral feeding with a nasogastric tube versus nasojejunal tube in patients with SAP. We searched four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase) until December 1, 2022. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing enteral feeding by nasogastric and nasojejunal tubes in patients with SAP. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were organ failure, infection, complications, surgical intervention, duration of tube feeding and length of hospital stay. Risk of bias assessment was completed independently by two investigators using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. We performed random effects model meta-analyses using the inverse variance method. Effect measures were reported as relative risks (RR) and their 95% CIs for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) and their 95% CIs for continuous outcomes. We included four RCTs involving 192 patients with SAP. The mean ages ranged between 36 and 62 years old. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the nasogastric and nasojejunal feeding arms (18/98 vs. 23/93; RR 1.34, 95%CI 0.77-2.30; p=0.30). There were no significant differences in all secondary outcomes between feeding arms. There were three RCTs with some concerns of bias, in the randomization process. In conclusion, in patients with SAP, enteral feeding delivered by nasogastric tube was as efficacious and safe as nasojejunal tube. Further randomized controlled trials with more participants and better design are needed to confirm these findings.

Pancreatitis aguda en el escenario de hipercalcemia por hiperparatiroidismo primario / Acute pancreatitis in the setting of hypercalcemia due to primary hyperparathyroidism

Introducción: describir el caso de un paciente con pancreatitis aguda secundaria a hipercalcemia por hiperparatiroidismo prImario. Esta es una causa poco frecuente de pancreatitis, asociada a morbimortalidad significativa en caso de no ser diagnosticada oportunamente Caso clínico: un hombre de 44 años, con antecedente de pancreatitis de presunto origen biliar que había requerido previamente colecistectomía, consultó por dolor abdominal y náuseas. Los estudios complementarios fueron compatibles con un nuevo episodio de pancreatitis aguda. Presentaba hipercalcemia y hormona paratiroidea (PTH) elevada, configurando hiperparatiroidismo primario. La gammagrafía informó hallazgos compatibles con adenoma paratiroideo. Se inició tratamiento con reanimación hídrica y analgesia con adecuada disminución de calcio sérico y resolución de dolor abdominal. Después de la paratiroidectomía se logró normalizar los niveles de calcio y PTH. Discusión: la pancreatitis aguda es una condición potencialmente fatal, por lo que la sospecha de causas poco frecuentes como la hipercalcemia debe tenerse en cuenta. El tratamiento de la hipercalcemia por adenoma paratiroideo se basa en reanimación hídrica adecuada y manejo quirúrgico del adenoma, con el fin de evitar recurrencia de pancreatitis y mortalidad. (AU)

Introduction: we describe the case of a patient with acute pancreatitis secondary to hypercalcemia due to primary hyperparathyroidism. This is a rare cause of pancreatitis associated with significant morbidity and mortality if not diagnosed in time. Clinical case: a 44-year-old man with a history of pancreatitis of presumed biliary origin, which had previously required cholecystectomy, consulted for abdominal pain and nausea. The laboratory findings were compatible with a new episode of acute pancreatitis. He presented hypercalcemia and an elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH), configuring primary hyperparathyroidism. Scintigraphy was performed, yielding findings compatible with parathyroid adenoma. Treatment with fluid resuscitation and analgesia was started, resulting in an adequate decrease in serum calcium and resolution of abdominal pain. After parathyroidectomy, calcium and PTH levels were normalized. Discussion: acute pancreatitis is a potentially fatal condition; therefore the suspicion of rare causes, such as hypercalcemia, should be considered. The treatment of hypercalcemia due to parathyroid adenoma is based on adequate fluid resuscitation and surgical management of the adenoma, to avoid recurrence of pancreatitis and death. (AU)

Pure Cut or Endocut for Biliary Sphincterotomy? A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse events (AE) after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are not uncommon and post-ERCP acute pancreatitis (PEP) is the most important one. Thermal injury from biliary sphincterotomy may play an important role and trigger PEP or bleeding. Therefore, this study evaluated the outcomes of 2 electric current modes used during biliary sphincterotomy. METHODS: From October 2019 to August 2021, consecutive patients with native papilla undergoing ERCP with biliary sphincterotomy were randomized to either the pure cut or endocut after cannulation. The primary outcome was PEP incidence. Secondary outcomes included intraprocedural and delayed bleeding, infection, and perforation. RESULTS: A total of 550 patients were randomized (272 pure cut and 278 endocut). The overall PEP rate was 4.0% and significantly higher in the endocut group (5.8% vs 2.2%, P = 0.034). Univariate analysis revealed >5 attempts ( P = 0.004) and endocut mode ( P = 0.034) as risk factors for PEP. Multivariate analysis revealed >5 attempts ( P = 0.005) and a trend for endocut mode as risk factors for PEP ( P = 0.052). Intraprocedural bleeding occurred more often with pure cut ( P = 0.018), but all cases were controlled endoscopically during the ERCP. Delayed bleeding was more frequent with endocut ( P = 0.047). There was no difference in perforation ( P = 1.0) or infection ( P = 0.4999) between the groups. DISCUSSION: Endocut mode may increase thermal injury leading to higher rates of PEP and delayed bleeding, whereas pure cut is associated with increased intraprocedural bleeding without clinical repercussion. The electric current mode is not related to perforation or infection. Further RCT assessing the impact of electric current on AE with overlapping preventive measures such as rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hyperhydration are needed. The study was submitted to the Brazilian Clinical Trials Platform ( http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br ) under the registry number RBR-5d27tn.

[The 5-5-2 criteria for biliary cannulation and post endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography complications: Experience in a reference hospital, Peru]. / Criterios 5-5-2 de canulación biliar y complicaciones post colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica: Experiencia en un hospital de referencia, Perú.

The European Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) defines "difficult biliary cannulation" by the presence of one or more of the following: more than 5 contacts with the papilla, more than 5 minutes attempting to cannulate, or inadvertent cannulation of the pancreatic duct in 2 or more times (5-5-2 criteria), recommending these cut-off points to perform advanced cannulation techniques in order to reduce the rate of post-ERCP adverse events. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of the 5-5-2 criteria and their association with post-ERCP complications in a reference hospital in Peru. We performed a prospective analytical case-control study and 120 patients who underwent ERCP were enrolled. The case group included 30 patients who met at least one of the 5-5-2 criteria and the control group included 90 patients without any of these criteria. The ERCP- related complications in both groups and their association with each of the 5-5-2 criteria were compared. The ERCP-related complications that occurred were post-ERCP pancreatitis (6.6% in the case group vs. 3.3% in the control group), bleeding (3.3% controls vs. 0% cases) and perforation (1.1% controls vs. 0% cases); no statistically significant differences were observed. The criterion of 2 or more unintended cannulations to the pancreatic duct showed a significant association (OR= 10.29, CI: 1.47-71.98; p= 0.005) with the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The criteria 5 minutes and 5 attempts were not associated with post-ERCP complications. In conclusion, among 5-5-2 criteria only the unintended cannulation of 2 or more times into the pancreatic duct was associated with an increased risk of post-ERC pancreatitis. The time and number of attempts criteria could be cautiously expanded without increasing the rate of post-ERCP complications.

Recurrent acute pancreatitis is not uncommon in our clinical setting.

Data on recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis (RAP) are scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate our rate of RAP and risks factors. This is a retrospective, single-center, study of consecutive patients admitted for AP and followed-up. Patients with more than one AP attack (RAP) were compared with patients with only a single AP episode (SAP) Clinical, demographic, outcome measures and severity were studied. 561 patients were included and follow-up over a mean 67.63 months' time. Our rate of RAP was 18,9%. Most patients suffered form only one episode of RAP (93%). Etiology of RAP episodes was mainly biliary (67%). On univariate analysis younger age (p 0.004), absence of high blood pressure (p 0.013) and absent of SIRS (p 0.022) were associated with recurrence of AP. On multivariate analysis only younger age was related to RAP (OR 1.015 95%IC 1.00-1.029). There were no statistical differences in outcome measures between both cohorts. RAP had a milder course in terms of severity (SAP 19% moderately severe/severe versus 9% in SAP). Almost 70% of the biliary RAP patients did not have a cholecystectomy performed. In this subset of patients, age OR 0.964 (95%IC 0.946-0.983), cholecystectomy OR 0.075 (95%IC 0.189-0.030) and cholecystectomy plus ERCP OR 0.190 (95%IC 0.219-0.055) were associated with absent of RAP. The rate of RAP in our series was 18,9%. Younger age was the only risk factor associated. Biliary etiology accounts for a large proportion of our RAP which could have been prevented with cholecystectomy or cholecystectomy plus ERCP.

Factors associated with hospital length of stay in children with acute pancreatitis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common cause of pancreatic disease in children. Previous studies have described factors related to days of hospital length of stay (LOS) in children. Our aim was to identify factors associated with LOS in AP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez in Mexico City, encompassing the time frame of January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2019. AP was confirmed by medical chart review, according to the INSPPIRE criteria at the time of hospital admission, in patients below 18 years of age. AP grade was classified, following the NASPGHAN guidelines. Demographic, clinical, biochemical, nutritional, and treatment data were collected. Prolonged hospital LOS was considered that which lasted 7 days or longer. RESULTS: Fifty-one events (32 patients) were registered. Median LOS was 8 days (IQR 4-14 days). Antibiotic use was significantly associated with longer LOS (OR 31.71; 95% CI: 2.71-370.65; p = 0.006) and early feeding (EF) (within 72 h of admission) was associated with shorter LOS (OR 0.05; 95% CI: 0.001-0.63; p = 0.02). There was no association between LOS and the variables of age, recurrence, grade, etiology, comorbidities, complications, fluid resuscitation, parenteral nutrition, or biochemical characteristics upon admission. CONCLUSION: Our study, like others, corroborated the fact that EF in the management of AP was associated with fewer days of hospital LOS.

Pancreatitis aguda por hipertrigliceridemia severa, caracterización en un hospital terciario / Acute pancreatitis due to severe hypertriglyceridemia, characterization in a tertiary hospital

La hipertrigliceridemia severa es una de las principales causas etiológicas de la pancreatitis aguda, donde la literatura internacional la posiciona como la tercera causa. Sus causas gatillantes, comorbilidades, severidad y evolución son importantes de conocer para evitar futuros episodios. En Chile, a nuestro entender, no tenemos literatura sobre esta asociación, por lo que presentamos datos de un hospital terciario, destacando 15 casos de pancreatitis aguda en 5 años de estudio, casi la mitad de ellos con antecedentes previos de hipertrigliceridemia, un porcentaje importante de los casos con cuadros graves y con complicaciones intrahospitalarias y que la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 fue la principal condición asociada a la hipertrigliceridemia severa.

Severe hypertriglyceridaemia is one of the main aetiological causes of acute pancreatitis, with international literature ranking it as the third leading cause. Its triggering causes, comorbidities, severity and evolution are important to know in order to avoid future episodes. In Chile, to our knowledge, we have no literature on this association, so we present data from a tertiary hospital, highlighting 15 cases of acute pancreatitis in 5 years of study, almost half of them with a previous history of hypertriglyceridaemia, a significant percentage of cases with severe symptoms and in-hospital complications, and that type 2 diabetes mellitus was the main condition associated with severe hypertriglyceridaemia.

Pancreatitis aguda: costos en un hospital universitario en Chile / Acute pancreatitis: costs in a university hospital in Chile

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common disease. There is no information available on the costs of treatment in Chile. Aim: To obtain information on the cost of hospitalization for AP and identify the factors that influence the account, to analyze health insurance coverage and the economic charge for the patient. Patients and Method: Retrospective and descriptive study. Patients treated at the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile with diagnosis of AP between May 1, 2014 and April 30, 2016 were included. The clinical records were reviewed after the patient's discharge. Demographic characteristics, clinical evolution, the account issued, the insurance payment and patient's copayment were registered. Results: In the period studied, 176 patients (90 women) were discharged with diagnosis of AP. The dominant etiology was biliary in 61%. According to the Atlanta 2013 classification, 78.4% of the cases were mild, 10.2% moderate, and 11.4% severe. 3 patients (1.7%) died. The median cost in Chilean pesos was $ 2,537,918 (1,383,151-3,897,673) (p25-75). The total sum of the accounts of 176 patients was $ 885,261,241, with an average of $ 5,029,893. The average coverage of the health system (FONASA or ISAPRE) was $ 4,293,113, leaving a copayment of $ 801,661. The final cost was related to the severity of the disease, the length of hospitalization and the need for a high-complexity bed. Discussion: Hospitalization costs for PA are high. It is advisable to rationalize the critical care bed indication.

Introducción: La pancreatitis aguda (PA) es una patología frecuente. No hay información disponible del costo de su tratamiento en Chile. Objetivo: Obtener información del costo de hospitalización por PA, identificar los factores que influyen en la cuenta, estudiar la cobertura por seguros de salud y el cargo económico para el paciente. Pacientes y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo. Se incluyeron pacientes tratados en el Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile con diagnóstico de PA entre 01 de mayo de 2014 y 30 de abril de 2016. Las fichas clínicas fueron revisadas después del alta del paciente, se registraron sus características demográficas, evolución clínica, la cuenta emitida, el pago del seguro y el copago del paciente. Resultados: En el periodo estudiado 176 pacientes (90 mujeres) fueron dados de alta con diagnóstico de PA. La etiología dominante fue biliar en 61% . Según la clasificación de Atlanta 2013, 78,4% de los casos fueron leves, 10,2% moderados y 11,4% severos. Fallecieron 3 pacientes (1,7%). La mediana de costos fue de $2.537.918 (1.383.151-3.897.673) (p25-75). La suma total de las cuentas de 176 pacientes fue de $ 885.261.241, con un promedio de $ 5.029.893. La cobertura promedio del sistema de salud (FONASA o ISAPRE) fue de $ 4.293.113 dejando un copago de $ 801.661. El costo final se correlacionó con la severidad de la enfermedad, la duración de la hospitalización y la necesidad de cama de alta complejidad. Discusión: Los costos de hospitalización por PA son elevados. Es recomendable racionalizar la indicación de cama crítica.

[Acute pancreatitis due to hepatitis B virus. A case report]. / Pancreatitis aguda por virus de la hepatitis B. Reporte de un caso.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition that is related to various etiologies. However, an infrequent one is acute infection by hepatotropic viruses. We present the case of a 33-year-old man who consulted the emergency department for abdominal pain and generalized jaundice. Serological studies reported acute infection by Hepatitis B Virus; The patient was managed with clinical and paraclinical monitoring of liver function tests together with supportive therapy with dextrose. The patient persisted with increasing abdominal pain and cholestasis, so they were considered differential. Magnetic resonance imaging of the upper abdomen showed acute non-biliary pancreatitis that was concluded secondary to the infectious process due to hepatitis B after ruling out other causes. The patient did not require changes in management with improvement in liver function tests, so he was discharged from hospital with favorable evolution in outpatient follow-up. Acute pancreatitis secondary to Hepatitis B Virus is a pathology that should be suspected and studied when the patient's clinical picture does not show improvement; Diagnosis is based on measurement of pancreatic enzyme levels.

Pancreatitis as a Potential Trigger for Severe Accelerated Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Early Post Heart Transplant: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: We present a case of severe accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), an infrequent finding usually related to dismal prognosis, in a heart recipient with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old male was transplanted owing to advanced heart failure related to nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. On the fifth day after transplantation, a nonbiliary acute ischemic pancreatitis occurred. Recurrent relapses ensued within the following year requiring hospital readmissions for both supportive and pain management. The patient developed graft dysfunction by the 18th month post-transplant with severe multivessel CAV. A trial of bortezomib and percutaneous coronary interventions with drug-eluting stents at coronary arteries were attempted but the patient died suddenly, before the scheduled staged percutaneous coronary intervention for the coronary total occlusion was performed. DISCUSSION: The causal mechanisms of aggressive accelerated CAV are unclear, but it is suggested that important inflammatory and/or humoral responses may play a pivotal role in this life-threatening disease pathogenesis. Increased levels of biomarkers have been linked to advanced CAV, as well as pancreatitis pathogenesis, related to cytokine activation with remarkable systemic inflammatory response. Some of those inflammatory mediators have been reported as central in both pancreatitis and CAV, more specifically interleukin-6. CONCLUSION: A pro-inflammatory state due to recurrent acute pancreatitis early after transplantation may have contributed to severely accelerated CAV development in the presented case. Comprehensive evaluation of risk factors may assist in close surveillance and targeted therapies in the management of this challenging post-heart transplant scenario.

Síndrome de quilomicronemia familiar: experiencia pediátrica en Argentina / Familial chylomicronemia syndrome: pediatric experience in Argentina

El síndrome de quilomicronemia familiar (SQF) es unaenfermedad autosómica recesiva rara, con una prevalencia1:200 000 - 1:1 000 000, y se caracteriza por quilomicronemiaen ayunas y niveles muy elevados de triglicéridos (> 880 mg/dl). LPL es el gen más frecuentemente afectado, luego APOC2,GPIHBP1, APOA5 y LMF1; todos ellos comprometen la función de la lipoproteinlipasa endotelial. El SQF suele presentarseen la infancia con dolor abdominal recurrente, xantomaseruptivos, retraso del crecimiento, pancreatitis y, en ocasiones,asintomático. El tratamiento convencional es la restriccióndietética de grasas. Se muestra el resultado clínico de 20 pacientes pediátricoscon SQF reclutados de 4 hospitales en Argentina.

Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare autosomalrecessive disease, prevalence 1:200,000 - 1:1,000,000, andis characterized by fasting chylomicrons and very hightriglycerides > 880 mg/dl. LPL is the most frequentlyaffected gene, then APOC2, GPIHBP1, APOA5, LMF1, all ofthem compromising the function of lipoproteinlipase. FCScommonly presents in childhood with recurrent abdominalpain, eruptive xanthomas, failure to thrive, pancreatitis, andsometimes asymptomatic. The conventional treatment isdietetic fat restriction. The clinical outcome of 20 pediatric patients with FCS recruited from 4 hospitals in Argentina is reported.

[Familial chylomicronemia syndrome: pediatric experience in Argentina]. / Síndrome de quilomicronemia familiar: experiencia pediátrica en Argentina.

Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease, prevalence 1:200,000 - 1:1,000,000, and is characterized by fasting chylomicrons and very high triglycerides > 880 mg/dl. LPL is the most frequently affected gene, then APOC2, GPIHBP1, APOA5, LMF1, all of them compromising the function of lipoproteinlipase. FCS commonly presents in childhood with recurrent abdominal pain, eruptive xanthomas, failure to thrive, pancreatitis, and sometimes asymptomatic. The conventional treatment is dietetic fat restriction. The clinical outcome of 20 pediatric patients with FCS recruited from 4 hospitals in Argentina is reported.

El síndrome de quilomicronemia familiar (SQF) es una enfermedad autosómica recesiva rara, con una prevalencia 1:200 000 - 1:1 000 000, y se caracteriza por quilomicronemia en ayunas y niveles muy elevados de triglicéridos (> 880 mg/ dl). LPL es el gen más frecuentemente afectado, luego APOC2, GPIHBP1, APOA5 y LMF1; todos ellos comprometen la función de la lipoproteinlipasa endotelial. El SQF suele presentarse en la infancia con dolor abdominal recurrente, xantomas eruptivos, retraso del crecimiento, pancreatitis y, en ocasiones, asintomático. El tratamiento convencional es la restricción dietética de grasas. Se muestra el resultado clínico de 20 pacientes pediátricos con SQF reclutados de 4 hospitales en Argentina.

DOES COVID-19 CAUSE PANCREATITIS?

BACKGROUND: Viral infections can cause acute pancreatitis. Idiopathic pancreatitis has an important proportion in the etiology of acute pancreatitis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rate of development of acute pancreatitis (AP) in COVID-19 patients and to determine the rate of idiopathic pancreatitis in the etiology of this pancreatitis. METHODS: A total of 6.467 patients hospitalized with the COVID-19 diagnosis were included in the study. Patients diagnosed with AP based on the Atlanta criteria were identified. Etiological factors were determined in patients who developed acute pancreatitis and compared with the etiological factors in 315 patients with non-COVID-19, hospitalized with the diagnosis of AP before the COVID-19 pandemic. AP was detected in 0.1% of patients with COVID-19. While gallstone was the etiologic factor in 2 (28.6%) of seven patients who developed acute pancreatitis during COVID-19, hyperlipidemia was the factor for 1 (14.3%) patient. Moreover, the etiologic factor could not be determined in 4 (57.1%) patients, and they were regarded as idiopathic pancreatitis patients. Biliary pancreatitis was the most common etiologic factor in 315 (78.4%) patients admitted to the hospital for AP before the COVID-19 pandemic. Idiopathic pancreatitis was ranked second with 16.8%. CONCLUSION: It was observed that there was a significant difference in the incidence of idiopathic pancreatitis between patients with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 (P=0.015). Results suggest that the SARS-Cov-2 virus may be among the factors leading to AP.

Acute pancreatitis and COVID-19: a new target for infection?

This review aimed to investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 is capable of infecting the gland and causing acute pancreatitis, and the peculiarities in the management of these cases. The research was conducted through PubMed® database, and 62 articles were systematically selected for analysis. Differences were found in the literature; however, there are important warnings, such as the presence of hyperlipasemia, clinical and imaging findings suggestive of acute pancreatitis in the presence and even in the absence of respiratory symptoms. Attention should be paid to clinical and imaging findings during this virus infection, since it is possible to identify these two diseases early. Therefore, it is possible to detect and isolate these patients more quickly, providing the correct care and decreasing the morbidity and mortality of two potentially severe diseases.