Comparison of the results of early and elective endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with mild cholangitis

Abstract

Aims: The optimal duration of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with mild cholangitis and when it should be performed is unclear. This study aimed to compare the results of patients with mild cholangitis who underwent early and elective ERCP. Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective study to compare the results of elective (time from admission to ERCP>72 h) and early (time from admission to ERCP≤72 h) ERCP in patients with mild cholangitis according to the Tocyo 18 (TC18) guideline. The study included patients with naive papillae and mild cholangitis who underwent ERCP between February 2019 and 2023 at a single tertiary center’s gastroenterology clinic. Results: A total of 432 mild cholangitis patients were included in our study. The mean age and ASA score of the elective ERCP group was slightly higher than the other group (respectively, p=0.039 and p=0.025). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of technical and clinical success, mortality, ERCP-related adverse events, organ failure and intensive care unit admission. Length of hospital stay (LHS) was significantly (p