Determinant-based Classification Research Articles

CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES ON DIAGNOSING ACUTE PANCREATITIS

Acute pancreatitis represents a significant challenge in urgent surgery. It holds a prominent position among urgent surgical diseases, with a rising incidence of severe, complicated forms. The increase in the negative outcomes of acute pancreatitis treatment is linked to delayed diagnosis of severe forms and their complications, owing to the absence of a highly effective severity assessment scale. This deficiency contributes to unjustified surgical interventions. Early severe pancreatitis manifests with a rapidly progressive course leading to organ failure, hypoxia, necrotic foci formation, abdominal sepsis, and abdominal compartment syndrome. Specific scales for early diagnosis include the criteria scale for primary assessment of acute pancreatitis severity, the Ranson scale, and the BISAP scale. The modern diagnosis of severe acute pancreatitis relies on two key international classifications: the Revised Atlanta Classification (2012) and the Determinant-based classification (2012). To assess the intensity of pancreatic inflammation by CT scan, the Balthazar scale is used, which is included in the Computer Tomography Severity Index and enables to determine the area of pancreatic necrosis.
 The purpose of this study is to improve the diagnosis of acute severe pancreatitis.
 The study was carried out by assessing the medical records of 20 patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis who received treatment at the Surgical Inpatient Department of the 2nd City Hospital, Poltava, from 2021 to 2022.
 The analysis revealed that conducting a computer tomography within the 48-72 hours from the onset of the disease enables a comprehensive assessment of its severity. This assessment significantly influences the subsequent treatment approach, reducing the necessity for surgical intervention and lowering the risk of patient mortality.
 Hence, in alignment with contemporary classifications and diagnostic perspectives on acute pancreatitis, MSCT assumes a pivotal role, significantly influencing the selection of treatment strategies in all cases. This inclusion facilitates timely surgical interventions and allows for adjustments to conservative therapy based on the severity of pancreatic inflammation. It is advisable, however, to conduct computed tomography 48-72 hours after the onset of pain to adequately assess the pancreatic condition. Morphological changes in the pancreas typically do not manifest within the initial day of the disease, making early CT diagnostics potentially misleading regarding the true state and severity of acute pancreatitis.

Comparison of CT Severity Index and Modified CT Severity Index in the Clinical Severity Assessment of Acute Pancreatitis

Objective: To compare the computed tomography severity index (CTSI) and the modified computed tomography severity index (MCTSI) in the clinical severity assessment of acute pancreatitis.Material and Methods: This retrospective cohort study comprised acute pancreatitis patients who underwent contrastenhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans within 4 weeks after clinical onset. Two experienced abdominal radiologists, blinded to the clinical outcome, independently reviewed the CT images and retrospectively scored them using CTSI and MCTSI. Any discrepancies were resolved by a consensus review. The clinical severity assessment of each participant was categorized by the determinant-based classification of acute pancreatitis severity. The correlations of CTSI and MCTSI with the clinical severity assessment were analyzed.Results: This cohort study consisted of 40 participants—28 of them were men (70.0%)—with a mean age of 59.3 years. They were clinically divided into mild, moderate, severe, and critical groups comprising 11 (27.5%), 16 (40.0%), 7 (17.5%), and 6 (15.0%) participants, respectively. Due to the small number of patients in the severe and critical groups, we combined these into a single severe category (13 patients, 32.5%). The CTSI and MCTSI scores showed moderate and fair agreement with the clinical severity assessment. A trend linking poor clinical outcome with high CTSI/MCTSI scores (moderate and severe groups) more commonly than low scores (mild group) was observed. There was a very strong agreement between CTSI and MCTSI (rs =0.97).Conclusion: CTSI and MCTSI showed a moderate and fair agreement, respectively, with the clinical severity assessment. Compared to low scores, a poor clinical outcome was more often associated with high CTSI/MCTSI scores.

A nationwide survey of acute pancreatitis:a report from 126 hospitals in China

Objective: To investigate the current status of acute pancreatitis(AP) diagnosis and treatment in hospitals of different levels in China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. The Acute Pancreatitis Diagnosis and Treatment Practice Questionnaire was designed and sent to the members of the Group of Pancreatic Surgery Chinese Society of Chinese Medical Association Branch and some other hospitals online from 8th to 24th December, 2020. Observation indicators included general information, AP diagnosis and assessment, treatment strategies, follow-up information, and comparisons of clinical practice between 3A-level and non-3A-level hospitals were performed. Counting data was used χ 2 test or Fisher exact test. Results: A total of 126 valid questionnaires were collected in final analysis, of which 75.4% (95/126) were from 3A-level hospitals, 15.9%(20/126) and 8.7%(11/126)were from other third-level and second-level hospitals,respectively. Of all participants, 88.1% (111/126)used classic AP diagnostic criteria, and 88.1% (111/126)conducted severity assessment. The revised Atlanta classification and determinant-based classification were commonly used, accounting for 72.1%(80/111) and 22.5%(25/111), respectively. 70.6%(89/126)used predictive models, including APACHE Ⅱ score, imaging models(modified CT severity index or Balthazar scoring) and Ranson criteria. For patients with early pancreatic or peripancreatic infection, 75.4%(95/126) preferred antibiotic therapy, and for those with infected walled-off necrosis, 61.1% (77/126) preferred percutaneous catheter drainage.When surgical intervention required,preferred methods were laparoscopic transabdominal surgery(37.3%, 47/126) and open surgery(25.4%,32/126). 61.1%(77/126) accepted "delayed surgery" notion. 32.5%(41/126) routinely used the step-up approach. For mild biliary acute pancreatitis, 44.4%(56/126) underwent cholecystectomy during the same hospital admission. Regarding follow-up, ideal overall follow-up periods were 6 months(46.0%,57/124) and 12 months(33.1%, 41/124), and follow-up interval was 3 months(50.8%,63/124) and 1 month(23.4%, 29/124). Comparing clinical practice of AP between 3A-level hospitals and non-3A-level hospitals, we found that the former had a significantly higher proportion of annual AP admission number of over 100(34.7%(33/95) vs.12.9%(4/31), χ 2=5.372, P=0.020), and higher proportion of routine severity assessment(68.4%(65/95) vs. 35.5%(11/31), χ²=11.107, P=0.004), higher proportion of routine severity prediction(45.3%(43/95) vs. 12.9%(4/31), χ²=13.549, P=0.001). When surgical intervention required, the proportion of step-up approach was significantly higher(37.9%(36/95) vs.16.1%(5/31), χ 2=8.512, P=0.017). Significantly more participants preferred that follow-up should be completed by full-time staff(35.8%(34/95) vs. 22.6%(7/31), χ²=8.154, P=0.043) in 3-A level hospitals. Conclusions: The standardization of AP diagnosis is relatively high in China. However, standardized assessment of severity and prediction need to be further prompted, especially in non-3A-level hospitals. Regarding AP treatment, especially the minimally invasive intervention strategy would be the focus of the promotion of standardized AP practice in the future.

Role of Pancreatic Stone Protein as an Early Biomarker for Risk Stratification of Acute Pancreatitis.

Early risk stratification of acute pancreatitis is crucial to improve clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of pancreatic stone protein (PSP) to predict acute pancreatitis severity and to compare it with the biomarkers and severity scores currently used for that purpose. Prospective single-center observational study enrolling 268 adult patients with acute pancreatitis. Biomarkers including PSP were measured upon admission to the Emergency Department and severity scores as SOFA, PANC-3, and BISAP were computed. Patients were classified into mild-moderate (non-severe) and severe acute pancreatitis according to the Determinant-Based Classification Criteria. Area under the curve (AUC) and regression analysis were used to analyze the discrimination abilities and the association of biomarkers and scores with severity. Two hundred and thirty-five patients (87.7%) were classified as non-severe and 33 (12.3%) as severe acute pancreatitis. Median [IQR] PSP was increased in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (890μg/L [559-1142] vs. 279μg/L [141-496]; p < 0.001) and it was the best predictor (ROC AUC: 0.827). In multivariate analysis, PSP and urea were the only independent predictors for severe acute pancreatitis and a model combining them both ("biomarker model") showed an AUC of 0.841 for prediction of severe acute pancreatitis, higher than the other severity scores. PSP is a promising biomarker for predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis upon admission. A model combining PSP and urea might further constitute a potential tool for early risk stratification of this disease.

Validation of the Modified Determinant-Based Classification for Patients With Acute Pancreatitis in Intensive Care Medicine.

To validate the Modified Determinant-Based Classification (MDBC) system, and compare it with the Revised Atlanta Classification (RAC) and the Determinant-Based Classification (DBC). Prospective observational research was conducted in 35 international intensive care units, on patients with acute pancreatitis, and at least 1 organ failure (OF). Patient classification according to the MDBC was as follows: group 1 (transient OF, without local complications [LCs]), group 2 (transient OF and LC), group 3 (persistent OF, without LC), and group 4 (persistent OF and LC). A total of 316 patients were enrolled (mortality of 25.6%). In group 1, patients presented with low mortality (3.31%) and low morbidity (13.68%); in group 2, low mortality (5.26%) and moderate morbidity (55.56%); in group 3, high mortality (32.18%) and moderate morbidity (54.24%); and in group 4, high mortality (53.93%) and high morbidity (97.56%). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for mortality was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-0.84), with significant differences in comparison to RAC (0.76; 95% CI, 0.70-0.80) and DBC (0.79; 95% CI, 0.74-0.83) (P < 0.01). The MDBC identified 4 groups with differentiated clinical evolutions. Its tiered mortality rating provided it with better discriminatory power than the DBC and the RAC.

The "Two-Step" approach for classifying the severity of acute pancreatitis: A retrospective study.

The Revised Atlanta Classification (RAC) and Determinant-Based Classification (DBC) are currently two widely adopted systems for evaluating the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). This study aimed to overcome the inaccuracies and limitations that existed in them. We retrospectively analyzed 298 patients with AP. The "Two-Step" approach was divided into an early organ failure (OF) assessment: (I) none, (II) transient, (III) single persistent, and (IV) multiple persistent; and a later local complications assessment: (A) none, (B) sterile, and (C) infectious. Patients with AP who died before the second step were classified into category X. The "Two-Step" approach was then compared to the RAC and DBC. As the patients' grades increased (I to IV), organ support treatment rates, intensive care unit lengths of stay, and mortalities increased. Invasive intervention rates displayed increasing trends with local complications aggravated (A to C). Patients in category X were older and had higher Marshall scores with the highest grades of severity. By combining the early OF grades and the late local complications, the "Two-Step" approach represents an accurate classification system required for stratified studies of AP, and introduces the category X as the severest forms of AP.

A Multimodal Approach for the First-Line Treatment of Infected Pancreatic Necrosis

Because infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) has multiple presentations, not all patients are likely to benefit from the same first-line treatment. Our objective was to evaluate morbidity and mortality in a series of patients treated with a multimodal therapeutic approach. Between May 2012 and May 2019, 51 patients diagnosed with IPN were treated. The 5 initial treatment alternatives were as follows: percutaneous drainage, minimally invasive necrosectomy, antibiotics alone, transgastric necrosectomy, and temporizing percutaneous/endoscopic drainage. Initial treatment selection depended on evolution, clinical condition, and extension of pancreatic necrosis. Success, morbidity, and mortality rates were determined. In terms of determinant-based classification, 37 were classified as severe, and 14 as critical. Percutaneous, temporizing drainage, minimally invasive necrosectomy, antibiotics alone and transgastric necrosectomy approaches were used in 21, 10, 11, 4, and 5 patients, respectively. Necrosectomy was not required in 18 patients (35%). There were no significant differences in mortality among the different treatment approaches (P < 0.45). Overall success, morbidity, and mortality rates were 68.6%, 52.9%, and 7.8%, respectively. The multimodal approach seems to be a rational and efficient strategy for the initial treatment of IPN.

Results of the modification of an acute pancreatitis management protocol in Intensive Care medicine

ObjectiveTo determine whether the implementation of a protocol for the management of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) improves the clinical outcomes. DesignA retrospective, before-after observational case series study was carried out. Study period1 January 2001 to 31 December 2016, divided in 2 periods (pre-protocol 2001–2007, post-protocol 2008–2016). ScopeAn ICU with 48 beds and a recruitment population of 700,000 inhabitants. ParticipantsAP patients admitted to the ICU, with no exclusion criteria. InterventionsThe recommendations proposed in the 7th Consensus Conference of the SEMICYUC on AP (5 September 2007) were applied in the second period. Main variables of interestPatient age, sex, APACHE II, SOFA, study period, pre-ICU hospital stay, nutrition, surgery, antibiotic prophylaxis, hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, determinant-based classification. ResultsThe study comprised 286 patients (94 in the pre-protocol period, 192 in the post-protocol period), with a global in-hospital mortality rate of 23.1% (n=66). Application of the protocol decreased the pre-ICU hospital stay and the use of antibiotic prophylaxis, and increased the use of enteral nutrition. Hospital mortality decreased in the second period (35.1 vs. 17.18%; P=.001), with no significant changes in ICU and hospital stays. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the variable period of treatment remained as a variable of statistical significance in terms of hospital mortality (OR 0.34 for the period 2008–2016, 95% CI 0.15–0.74). ConclusionsThe implementation of a protocol could result in decreased mortality among AP patients admitted to the ICU.

Comparison of three classification systems for acute pancreatitis

Objective To compare the accuracy of three classification systems [determinant-based classification (DBC), Revision of the Atlanta classification (RAC), and Atlanta classification (AC)] to stratify severity of acute pancreatitis (AP), and to analyze the association between different severity categories and clinical outcomes. Methods In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical data of 458 patients with AP admitted to our unit from January 2015 to December 2017. AP severity was stratified according to the three classification systems (DBC, RAC, and AC) respectively. The classification accuracy of three classification systems was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve) compared the accuracy of each classification. Multi-factors logistic regression analysis identified the independent risk fators for mortality of AP. Results Among the three classification systems, there were significant differences in the mortality rate, invasive treatment rate, ICU monitoring rate and the average hospitalization time among the three subtypes (P<0.001). The RAC and DBC were comparable,but performed better than AC in predicting mortality (AUC 0.94 and 0.95 vs.0.63, P<0.001), ICU admission (AUC 0.90 and 0.88 vs 0.60, P<0.001). The DBC performed better than the RAC and OAC in predicting the need for intervention (AUC 0.88 vs 0.69 and 0.68, P<0.001). Persistent organ failure (OR=13.131, P=0.003) and infected necrosis(OR=9.424, P=0.014) were independent risk factors for mortality. Conclusion The accuracy of DBC and RAC to stratify the severity of AP was significantly higher than that of AC. The accuracy of DBC in predicting clinical outcome was genarally higher than that of RAC and AC. Infectious necrosis and persistent organ failure were the independent risk fators for mortality. Key words: Acute pancreatitis; Stratify; Organ failure; Infectious necrosis; Atlanta classification

Validation of Modified Determinant-Based Classification of severity for acute pancreatitis in a tertiary teaching hospital

BackgroundThe relative merits of two recent classifications of acute pancreatitis severity, the Determinant-Based Classification (DBC) and the Revised Atlanta Classification (RAC), have been debated. A Modified DBC (MDBC) was recently proposed in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. By dividing the DBC ‘severe’ category into two groups, the MDBC classified non-mild acute pancreatitis into 4 groups rather than 2 in RAC and 3 in DBC. In this study we aim to validate MDBC in both ICU and non-ICU patients and evaluate infected necrosis as a determinant of severity. MethodsProspective data collected on consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were assigned to the categories of severity defined by the DBC, RAC and MDBC. Clinical interventions and outcomes were compared between categories. ResultsA total of 1102 patients were enrolled and the overall mortality was 5.7%. When MDBC was applied, the four Groups were significantly different in regard to ICU admission rates (30%, 40%, 69% and 87%) and mortality (2%, 15%, 40% and 57%). Groups 2 and 3 were different in intervention rates and morbidity, providing evidence that IN is an important determinant of severity. ConclusionsThis study validates the MDBC proposal to subdivide the DBC ‘severe’ category into two groups for ICU and non-ICU patients in a tertiary hospital.

Maximizing the Use of Scoring Systems in the Prediction of Outcomes in Acute Pancreatitis

Background/Aims: No single classification system has so far effectively predicted the severity for Acute Pancreatitis (AP). This study compares the effectiveness of classification systems: Original Atlanta (OAC), Revised Atlanta (RAC), Determinant based classification (DBC), PANC 3, Harmless AP Score (HAPS), Japanese Severity Score (JSS), Symptoms Nutrition Necrosis Antibiotics and Pain (SNNAP), and Beside Index of Severity for AP (BISAP) in predicting outcomes in AP. Methods: Scores for BISAP, Panc 3, HAPS, SNNAP, OAC, RAC, and DBC were calculated for 221 adult patients hospitalized for AP. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis and Akaike Information Criteria were used to compare the effectiveness of predicting need for surgery, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, readmission within 30 days, and length of hospital stay. Results: Both the RAC and the DBC strongly predict the length of hospital stay (p < 0.0001 for both) and ICU admission (p < 0.0001 for both). Additionally, both BISAP and PANC 3 showed weak predictive capacity at identifying length of stay and ICU admission. Conclusions: We suggest that BISAP and PANC3 be obtained within the initial 24 h of hospitalization to offer an early prediction of length of stay and ICU admission. Subsequently, RAC and DBC can offer further information later in the course of the disease.

A new classification of the severity of acute pancreatitis

Introduction: A good assessment system of acute pancreatitis is important for clinical studies. RAC is widely used but neglects the role of necrotic infection, as well DBC underestimates the early death patients. So we developed “13 grades”. Methods: “I, II, III and IV” mean multiple persistent, single persistent, transient or no OF while “a, b and o” for infective, aseptic and no complications respectively. By the mean of “Roman letters + English letters” we evaluated AP patients who survived the early OF period into the local complications period (see figure A), “X” represented death in early stage due to OF. Mortality, surgical rates and ICU stay were retrospectively analyzed in 313 AP patients, compared with RAC and DBC. Result: Survival analysis between “I, II, III, IV” and “a, b, o” validated the division of AP in two stages by OF and local complications (see figure C). ICU stay, surgical rates were significantly different between 13 levels (see figure B). X, Ia, IIa, Ib, IIb, Io and IIo all belonged to SAP with 2012RAC, with different mortality. With 2012DBC, group X was underestimated as SAP due to without infection (see figure D). Conclusion: “13 levels” was easy for memory and application by two letters for critical factors in two stages of pancreatitis. With the help of subdividing and bug removing the homogeneity and accurity of classification both increased. Keywords: Severe/Critical acute pancreatitis (SAP/CAP); organ failure (OF); Revision of Atlanta classification in 2012 (RAC); Determinant-based classification in 2012 (DBC).

Evaluation and management of acute pancreatitis in Spain

IntroductionThe aim of this systematic review is to summarize epidemiological data and areas of future acute pancreatitis research in Spain. MethodsWe conduct an independent search in PubMed and Web of Science and analyse articles by Spanish researchers from 2008 to 2018. ResultsWe identified an overall incidence of 72/100,000 person-years, with biliary pancreatitis as the most common etiology. BISAP was useful but suboptimal for predicting severity and some biomarkers such as Oleic acid chlorohydrin have shown promising results. The modified determinant-based classification can help to classify patients admitted to intensive care units. Ringer's lactate solution is currently the fluid of choice and classic surgery has been surpassed by minimally-invasive approaches. Starting a full-caloric diet is safe when bowel sounds are present. DiscussionThere are numerous well-defined research fields in Spain. Future multicentre studies should focus on management, predicting severity and cost-effectiveness.

Relationship between intra-abdominal hypertension, outcome and the revised Atlanta and determinant-based classifications in acute pancreatitis.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between intra‐abdominal hypertension (IAH) and severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) measured by the revised Atlanta classification (RAC) and determinant‐based classification (DBC). Secondary objectives were to assess IAH as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in the ICU.MethodsThis prospective international observational study included patients admitted to the ICU with AP and at least one organ failure. Information was collected on demographics, severity scores at admission using RAC and DBC, organ failure, mechanical ventilation, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), surgery and mortality. Maximum intra‐abdominal pressure (IAP) during ICU stay was used for analysis.ResultsSome 374 patients were included. The hospital mortality rate was 28·9 per cent. IAP was measured in 301 patients (80·5 per cent), of whom 274 (91·0 per cent) had IAH and 103 (34·2 per cent) acute compartment syndrome. A higher IAH grade was more likely in patients with severe AP (42 per cent for grade I versus 84 per cent for grade IV) and acute critical pancreatitis (9 versus 25 per cent; P = 0·001). Compared with grade I IAH, patients with grade IV had more infected necrosis (16 versus 28 per cent; P = 0·005), need for surgery (27 versus 50 per cent; P = 0·006), mechanical ventilation (53 versus 84 per cent; P = 0·007) and requirement for CRRT (22 versus 66 per cent; P < 0·001). IAH predicted shock (area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) 0·79, 95 per cent c.i. 0·73 to 0·84), respiratory failure (AUC 0·82, 0·77 to 0·87), renal failure (AUC 0·93, 0·89 to 0·96) and mortality (AUC 0·89, 0·86 to 0·93).ConclusionIAH was associated with severity of AP classified according to both RAC and DBC systems. IAP grade can predict outcome of AP during ICU stay.

Value of the revised Atlanta classification (RAC) and determinant-based classification (DBC) systems in the evaluation of acute pancreatitis

Objective: Since increasing acute pancreatitis (AP) severity is significantly associated with mortality, accurate and rapid determination of severity is crucial for effective clinical management. This study investigated the value of the revised Atlanta classification (RAC) and the determinant-based classification (DBC) systems in stratifying severity of acute pancreatitis. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included 480 AP patients. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were recorded. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes were admission to intensive care unit (ICU), duration of ICU stay, and duration of hospital stay. Results: Based on the RAC classification, there were 295 patients with mild AP (MAP), 146 patients with moderate-to-severe AP (MSAP), and 39 patients with severe AP (SAP). Based on the DBC classification, there were 389 patients with MAP, 41 patients with MSAP, 32 patients with SAP, and 18 patients with critical AP (CAP). ROC curve analysis showed that the DBC system had a significantly higher accuracy at predicting organ failure compared to the RAC system (p < .001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age and ICU stay were independent risk factors of mortality. Conclusion: The DBC system had a higher accuracy at predicting organ failure. Age and ICU stay were significantly associated with risk of death in AP patients. A classification of CAP by the DBC system should warrant close attention, and rapid implementation of effective measures to reduce mortality.

Comparison of multifactor scoring systems and single serum markers for the early prediction of the severity of acute pancreatitis.

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether the current scoring systems and single serum markers used in pancreatitis remain applicable for the early prediction of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and the severity and mortality of acute pancreatitis (AP) in accordance with the revised Atlanta and determinant-based classifications. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from 708 consecutive patients with AP were prospectively collected between January 2011 and December 2012. The severity was classified using the revised Atlanta and determinant-based classification systems. The predictive accuracies for moderately severe AP (MSAP), severe AP (SAP), critically severe AP (CAP), IPN, and mortality were measured using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the multifactor scoring systems and single serum markers had a low predictive accuracy regarding moderately severe AP. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score had the highest accuracy in predicting SAP with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.75 (95% CI=0.71-0.79) and 0.77 (95% CI=0.73-0.81) at 24 and 48h after admission, respectively. Procalcitonin was the most accurate predictor for CAP and IPN, with respective AUCs of 0.86 (95% CI=0.82-0.89) and 0.83 (95% CI=0.78-0.87) at 48h after admission. In predicting mortality, both the APACHE II score and blood urea nitrogen had the highest accuracy. The APACHE II score had the highest predictive accuracy for SAP and mortality as defined by the revised Atlanta classification, whereas procalcitonin was the most accurate predictor for CAP and IPN.

Validation of modified determinant-based classification of severity for acute pancreatitis in a tertiary teaching hospital

Validation of modified determinant-based classification of severity for acute pancreatitis in a tertiary teaching hospital

Mild acute biliary pancreatitis: the timing of cholecystectomy should not exceed index admission.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to treat mild biliary acute pancreatitis (MBAP) during index admission is recommended. However, the optimal surgical timing is controversial, considering that patients are actually often discharged from hospital and readmitted for elective cholecystectomy. Moreover, previous studies showed an uneven patients' stratification for pancreatitis severity. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of patients homogenously categorizedfor MBAP according to the newest pancreatitis classifications, undergoing cholecystectomy with different timing. We retrospectively identified all patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 2008 to 2015 for MBAP, according to the 2012 Revision of the Atlanta Classification and the Determinant-Based Classification of Acute Pancreatitis, and stratified them in two groups: index cholecystectomy (IC) and interval-delayed cholecystectomy (IDC, after at least 4 weeks). One hundred and three patients were analyzed. IC was performed in 40 patients (38.8%) while IDC in 63 patients (61.2%). The two groups were similar in comorbidities and pancreatitis severity at admission. There were no differences for conversion rate, operation length, total length of hospitalization and overall complication rates. However, IDC patients had a 33.3% rate of re-hospitalization for recurrent biliary-pancreatic events while waiting for the elective procedure and showed a higher rate of acute cholecystitis at histological diagnosis than IC (11.1% vs. 0%, P=0.041). Among patients affected by MBAP, homogenously assessed following the new acute pancreatitis severity scores, the performance of cholecystectomy during the index admission is the best treatment option in order to avoid further undesired hospitalizations for recurrent biliary/pancreatic events while waiting for surgery.

Multiple interventions with prolonged length of stay are required for treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis.

A proportion of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) develop necrosis. Around a third will become infected, and this is associated with a significant requirement for intervention and support. We evaluated the burden of necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) in an Australian tertiary hospital with regards to morbidity, mortality and resource consumption. This is a retrospective case series of patients with AP admitted for at least 5 days to identify those with NP between 2009 and 2014. Data were analysed in groups according to the determinant-based classification of AP severity. Of 1339 patients with AP, 546 stayed 5 days or longer, and 38 had necrosis. Overall mortality for those with necrosis was 10.5% (4/38). Infection complicated necrosis in 45% (17/38). Organ failure also occurred in 45% (17/38) of patients with necrosis. All patients in the critical category and severe category required admission to the intensive care unit for a median of 21 and 12 days, respectively. A total of 90% of patients with critical category disease developed multi-organ failure, whereas most with severe category disease developed single organ failure only. Overall length of stay increased with increasing severity of disease. Intervention was required in 82% of infected necrosis (median 4 procedures). Those without infection also required multiple radiological investigations (median 7). Necrosis is uncommon in our cohort but is associated with a significant health-care burden. Almost half the patients with necrosis develop organ failure requiring prolonged hospital and intensive care unit stay. Patients require multiple investigations and interventions for infected necrosis. NP remains a costly, morbid disease in our society.

Revised Atlanta classification and determinant-based classification: Which one better at stratifying outcomes of patients with acute pancreatitis?

BacgroundTwo different severity classifications (revised Atlanta classification [RAC] and determinant-based classification [DBC]) were recently proposed. MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of a prospective acute pancreatitis (AP) database. This study aims to compare the ability of three classification systems (RAC, DBC, and original Atlanta classification [OAC]) to stratify outcomes of AP and to determine the association between different severity categories and clinical outcomes. ResultsOverall, as the grade of severity increased, the morbidity and mortality increased accordingly in the three classification systems. The RAC and DBC were comparable, but performed better than OAC in predicting mortality (AUC 0.92 and 0.95 vs. 0.66, p < 0.001), ICU admission (AUC 0.92 and 0.96 vs. 0.68, p < 0.001), ICU LOS (AUC 0.73 and 0.76 vs. 0.50, p < 0.001), and hospital stay (AUC 0.81 and 0.83 vs. 0.70, p < 0.001). The DBC performed better than the RAC and OAC in predicting the need for intervention (AUC 0.87 vs. 0.79 and 0.68, p < 0.05). The mortality rate in patients with critical DBC category was higher than that in those with severe RAC category (42.1% vs. 24.7%; p = 0.008). POF (OR 19.4, p = 0.001) and IN (OR 11.0, p = 0.025) were independent risk factors for mortality. ConclusionsIn tertiary referral setting, patients in the critical category are at the greatest risk for death and should be managed in an intensive care unit. Although IN itself may be less influential on mortality than POF, IN as well as POF should be considered as the key determinants for severity stratification.