Acute pancreatitis - predicting the severity of the disease.

RATIONALE: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious acute abdominal disease. AP is often referred to as an unpredictable illness, which can take a mild to severe (fatal) course. AIMS OF THE STUDY: 1) To identify clinical parameters that are significantly related to the clinical course of acute pancreatitis. 2) To compile a scoring system enabling the severity of AP to be predicted when the patient is first admitted to hospital. METHODS: Analysis of available publications and clinical guidance, and retrospective analysis of data on patients hospitalised with AP at our clinic enable us to identify clinical details and laboratory results recorded at the time of patients' admission to hospital that are related to the subsequent severity of the disease. For the purposes of statistical analysis, the sample of patients was divided into two groups: group A (mild AP, without local or organ complications), group B (moderately severe and severe AP with local and/or organ complications). PATIENT GROUPS AND RESULTS: In total, between 01.01.2013 and 30.06.2022, 312 patients with acute pancreatitis were allocated to the retrospective-prospective study sample. 74 % (231/312) of these patients were allocated to group A and 26 % (81/312) were allocated to group B. Univariate analysis of the data collected on the patient sample identified 5 parameters that are statistically significantly associated with the severity of the clinical course of the disease. Presence of SIRS on admission (A vs B, Odds ratio 10.787, 95% CI 5.09-22.85, p < 0.0001), diabetes mellitus type 2 in case history (A vs B, Odds ratio 7.703, 95% CI 3.04-19.51, p 2 mmol/l (A vs B, Odds ratio 3.293, 95% CI 1.59-6.82, p = 0.0013).In order to develop a scoring system, each of these parameters was allocated a points value based on its Odds ratio (OR): presence of SIRS 3 points, hypocalcaemia 3 points, diabetes mellitus type 2 in case history 2 points, urea concentration > 8 mmol/l 1 point and lactate concentration > 2 mmol/l 1 point. The authors refer to their scoring system as The Acute Pancreatitis Admission Score (APAS). The accuracy of APAS was modelled for various cut off values. Across the whole sample, we ascertained that an APAS ≥ 4 points predicts moderately severe or severe AP with a sensitivity of 81 % (95% CI: 71 - 89 %) and specificity of 87 % (95 CI: 81 - 91 %). The positive predictive value (PPV) of APAS ≥ 4 is 0.68, while its negative predictive value (NPV) is 0.93 and accuracy 0.85 (95% CI 0.81 - 0.89). CONCLUSION: In this study we identify significant simple clinical and laboratory parameters that are commonly tested as part of an initial examination when admitting a patient with AP to hospital. Having identified these parameters we are able to establish a simple scoring system that is able to predict the severity of the course of AP at the moment of hospitalisation (Tab. 5, Fig. 2, Ref. 27).

The role of endoscopic ultrasound in patients with acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: Acute biliary pancreatitis is the most common form of acute pancreatitis worldwide. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) may be helpful in detecting common bile duct stones and in indicating more invasive endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) examinations or determining rarer aetiologies of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Over a period of six years, we prospectively collected 131 patients with acute biliary pancreatitis and observed the need for endoscopic examination alongside with a decrease in the number of necessary ERCP examinations as a result of negative EUS results (no bile duct stones detected). We compared groups of patients given different endoscopic treatments in relation to their hospital mortality relative to the incidence of severe acute pancreatitis. RESULTS: As many as 68 % of primarily indicated EUS examinations had a negative result (no common bile duct stones detected) and this result saved the patients from needing to undergo an invasive ERCP procedure. Both the incidence of the severe form of acute pancreatitis and the hospital mortality rate were lower among patients who underwent only EUS or ERCP after EUS as compared to patients who underwent ERCP straight away. CONCLUSION: The use of EUS in patients with acute pancreatitis is very helpful in determining the treatment strategy (ERCP indication) and may reduce hospital mortality (Tab. 2, Ref. 14).

[Dangerous cucumbers - Leylls syndrome]. / Nebezpecné okurky - Leylluv syndrom.

Leylls syndrome (syndrome of toxic epidermal necrolysis) is a rare disease, firstly described by Scottish doctor of medicine Allan Lyell in 1956. It is characterized by huge skin and mucosa necrolysis, which affects at least 30 % of body surface, and systemic symptoms. According to the frequency of the occurrence it is an extremely rare condition, with an incidence of 0.5-2 cases per million residents per year. Leylls syndrome is considered as a toxoallergic reaction, triggered mostly by some medication and it is associated with a very high mortality rate (in the literature reported between 30 to 90 %). Adequate and timely local and systemic treatment at the Intensive Care Unit or at the specialized clinic can improve the overall poor prognosis of the patients. In our case report we describe a very rare case of the Lyells syndrome after exposure to the antifungal organosulfur compound, which is widely used by the homegardners and farmers.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis After Exposure to Dithiocarbamate Fungicide Mancozeb.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a life-threatening mucocutaneous disease with high mortality. Dithiocarbamates (DTC) are organosulphur compounds widely used in agriculture, industry and households. We report a case of TEN after exposure to mancozeb in fungicide. A 48-year-old 75 kg b.w. man was admitted with fever and generalized skin/mucous lesions after application of fungicide in a home garden. The patient had necrotic desquamation of gastrointestinal/respiratory tract mucosa, ocular lesion and skin epidermolysis of 90% of body surface. The laboratory findings included elevation of inflammatory parameters, hyperglycaemia, increased urea, creatinine, liver enzymes, hypoalbuminemia and electrolyte disturbances. The treatment included supportive care, management of fluid/electrolyte requirements, analgesics and enteral nutrition. Skin lesions were treated with occlusive non-adhesive biological wound dressings. Due to the proof of Acinetobacter, Escherichia coli and Escherichia faecalis from skin swabs, a combination of meropenem with amikacin was administered. During the next 2 weeks, complete re-epithelialization of skin lesions occurred, mucosal lesions healed and the laboratory parameters returned to normal. The patient was discharged on day 42. TEN is a rare condition that is generally caused by medications. Nevertheless, high attention should be paid to the cases of occupational or household exposure to DTC fungicides widely used in agriculture and home gardens because of their ability to cause TEN after skin and inhalation exposure. Greater emphasis on the hazardous properties of these products is necessary to ensure non-professional users are aware of the necessity of protective clothing during mixing, loading, application and early re-entry into treated fields.