Serum Pancreatic Enzymes Research Articles

Serum trypsin as an early predictor of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

Serum amylase (AMY) levels measured 2-6 h after ERCP are a predictor of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Trypsin is one of the pancreatic enzymes elevated in the development of PEP. The study assessed whether serum trypsin (TRY) can predict early-stage PEP. This prospective study included patients who underwent ERCP from June 2022 to May 2023. TRY, AMY, serum pancreatic AMY (P-AMY), and serum lipase (LIP) levels were measured immediately after ERCP and 2 h later. The primary outcome was the diagnostic abilities of TRY levels measured immediately (0 h-TRY) and 2 h after (2 h-TRY) ERCP to predict PEP (compared with the other serum pancreatic enzymes). Of 130 patients analyzed, 18 developed PEP. The sensitivity and specificity of 0 h-TRY were 83.3% and 69.6%, respectively, and those of 2 h-TRY were 88.9% and 72.3%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for 0 h-TRY was significantly higher than that for 0 h-AMY (p = .006) and 0 h-P-AMY (p = .012), whereas the AUCs for 0 h-TRY and 0 h-LIP did not differ significantly (p = .563). The AUC for 2 h-TRY for predicting PEP was significantly higher than that for 2 h-AMY (p = .025), whereas there was no significant differences between the AUCs for 2 h-TRY and 2 h-P-AMY(p = .146), or between those for 2 h-TRY and 2 h-LIP (p = .792). The median increase ratio (expressed as a ratio relative to baseline) in TRY was highest among all of serum pancreatic enzymes tested immediately after ERCP (5.35, 1.72, 1.94, and 4.44 for TRY, AMY, P-AMY, and LIP, respectively). Measuring TRY immediately after ERCP is useful for the early prediction of PEP.

Increase of serum pancreatic enzymes during hospitalization for acute heart failure.

Acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with end-organ dysfunction. The effect of AHF on the pancreas has not been studied. We aim to evaluate serum markers of pancreatic damage during hospitalization for AHF. In data from the Pragmatic Urinary Sodium-based treatment algoritHm in Acute Heart Failure (PUSH-AHF) study, amylase and lipase values were extracted from available serum samples at baseline, and at 24 and 72hafter hospitalization. The differences between pancreatic enzymes between timepoints were evaluated using the Friedman test. Associations with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were tested using linear regression analysis. The study population consisted of 274 patients. Mean age was 73±11years, and 117 (43%) were women. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 38±14%; 53 (19%) patients had HF with a preserved LVEF (≥50%). At baseline, median amylase and lipase were within normal range (47 [33-63] U/L and 30 [21-44] U/L, respectively). Both enzymes significantly increased in the first 72h (P-value for trend <0.001); mean change was 9±22U/L for amylase, and 10±22U/L for lipase. Moreover, NT-proBNP at baseline showed a positive correlation with mean change in pancreatic enzymes in 72h (P=0.02 for amylase and P=0.006 for lipase). Patients admitted for AHF exhibited a significant increase in serum values of pancreatic enzymes in the first 72h, suggesting that an episode of AHF affects the pancreatic tissue. This rise in pancreatic enzymes was associated with HF severity, as reflected by NT-proBNP.

Pancreatic Injury Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease. Previous studies have primarily focused on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with SFTS, whereas pancreatic injury has received little attention. This study investigated the effects of pancreatic injury on the prognosis of patients with SFTS. A total of 156 patients diagnosed with SFTS between April 2016 and April 2022 were included in the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that pancreatic injury (odds ratio [OR] = 3.754, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.361-79.036, P = 0.024) and neurological symptoms (OR = 18.648, 95% CI: 4.921-70.668, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for mortality. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that serum pancreatic enzymes were predictive of progression to death in patients with SFTS. The area under the curve (AUC) for amylase was 0.711, with an optimal cutoff value of 95.5 U/L, sensitivity of 96.4%, and specificity of 35.9%. Lipase had an AUC of 0.754, an optimal cutoff value of 354.75 U/L, sensitivity of 75%, and specificity of 67.2%. Thus, pancreatic injury was associated with a poor prognosis of SFTS and can be used as an important reference for SFTS determination and prognostic assessment.

Liver resection volume-dependent pancreatic strain following living donor hepatectomy

The liver and pancreas work together to recover homeostasis after hepatectomy. This study aimed to investigate the effect of liver resection volume on the pancreas. We collected clinical data from 336 living liver donors. They were categorized into left lateral sectionectomy (LLS), left lobectomy, and right lobectomy (RL) groups. Serum pancreatic enzymes were compared among the groups. Serum amylase values peaked on postoperative day (POD) 1. Though they quickly returned to preoperative levels on POD 3, 46% of cases showed abnormal values on POD 7 in the RL group. Serum lipase levels were highest at POD 7. Lipase values increased 5.7-fold on POD 7 in the RL group and 82% of cases showed abnormal values. The RL group’s lipase was twice that of the LLS group. A negative correlation existed between the remnant liver volume and amylase (r = − 0.326)/lipase (r = − 0.367) on POD 7. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between POD 7 serum bilirubin and amylase (r = 0.379)/lipase (r = 0.381) levels, indicating cooccurrence with liver and pancreatic strain. Pancreatic strain due to hepatectomy occurs in a resection/remnant liver volume-dependent manner. It would be beneficial to closely monitor pancreatic function in patients undergoing a major hepatectomy.

Postprocedure serum amylase or lipase levels predict postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis: Meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies and utility assessment.

We aimed to clarify the clinical utility of measuring serum pancreatic enzymes after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the purpose of predicting post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) by a meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies. Studies on the prediction accuracy of PEP by serum amylase or lipase measured at 2, 3, and 4 h after ERCP were collected. A literature search was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library database for studies published between January 1980 and March 2023. The quality of individual studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Data were analyzed using Meta-DiSc 2.0 software. We searched the databases and identified 20 observational studies (12,313 participants). PEPs were defined according to criteria by Cotton or modified Cotton, revised Atlanta criteria, or the Japanese criteria. Meta-analysis of eight studies (4389 participants) showed a pooled sensitivity of 71.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 56.1-82.5) and pooled specificity of 91.2% (95% CI 85.9-94.6) for the serum amylase cut-off value at 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Another meta-analysis of five studies (1970 participants) showed a pooled sensitivity of 85.8% (95% CI 61.9-95.7) and pooled specificity of 85.3% (95% CI 81.9-88.1) for the serum lipase cut-off value at 3 times ULN. Despite a high risk of bias due to various reference standards, this updated meta-analysis and the utility assessment by a decision tree showed the utility of serum amylase or lipase levels more than 3 times ULN measured 2-4 h after ERCP for predicting PEP.

Acute pancreatitis following COVID-19 vaccine: A Vietnamese case report

Several vaccines against the coronavirus 2 that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome have been developed in response to the global coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The FDA has established that the available vaccine is effective against both the original and current SARS-CoV-2 variant infections. The vaccine’s effectiveness and adverse effects also need to be evaluated comprehensively. Although the list of side effects of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has been reported, only a few cases of pancreatitis have been documented and published. The mechanism in this situation is unknown, and the onset time from the vaccination to symptom onset is variable through several case reports, so healthcare workers need to be suspicious of pancreatitis to make an early diagnosis and deliver the appropriate treatment. We report a 73-year-old man with controlled chronic hepatitis C and uncomplicated gastritis who presented to the hospital with a 4-day fever accompanied by chills, generalized myalgia, a bilateral temporal dull headache, and no abdominal discomfort or pain. A review of other systems was clinically negative after the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. He had no history of alcohol consumption, pancreatitis, or allergic reactions to vaccines and had received the uncomplicated first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine previously. Laboratory tests revealed elevated serum pancreatic enzymes. An abdominal magnetic resonance imaging study showed tail segment enlargement of the pancreas with fat stranding and fluid accumulation surrounding the tail of the pancreas, without any local or systemic complications detected. Other laboratory and imaging tests for the detected source of infections are negative, and acute pancreatitis was diagnosed based on the 2012 revision of the Atlanta classification and definitions by international consensus. The patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 vaccination-induced acute pancreatitis. The patient had an uneventful recovery with no complications. After administering the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, acute pancreatitis could develop. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize acute pancreatitis when abdominal pain and/or abnormally increased pancreatic enzymes occur following a COVID-19 mRNA immunization.

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Different diabetes

Diagnostic Challenges in a Patient with Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Abdominal Pain

We examined a 51-year-old white male patient diagnosed with metastatic Merkel cell tumor, treated with immunotherapy, who came to the emergency room with upper abdominal pain and elevated pancreatic serum enzymes. He was suspected to have acute pancreatitis and was referred for computed tomography examination, which didn’t depict any sign of acute pancreatitis, showing a solid mass adjacent to the pancreatic head, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathies, solid nodules in the subcutaneous fat, and retroperitoneum.

The Elevation of Pancreatic Enzymes in Serum and Their Distribution at Different Stages of Renal Insufficiency Among Diabetic Patients Attending Goba Referral Hospital.

IntroductionAcute pancreatitis is auto-cell destruction that is manifested by increased leakage of amylase and lipase into circulation. During pancreatitis, the activity of serum amylase and lipase is elevated three times above the upper limit of the normal range. This elevation was observed in both prediabetic and diabetic patients. Severe acute pancreatitis can result in acute kidney injury and other multi-organ dysfunction, which is one of the reasons for death.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the elevation of serum amylase and lipase and their distribution at different stages of renal insufficiency among diabetic patients.MethodsThis study included 286 diabetic patients (36 type 1 and 250 type 2), and data were collected from May 1 to June 30, 2019. The study design used was an institution-based cross-sectional study. A face-to-face interview was used to collect data, and serum creatinine, amylase, and lipase levels were measured using a chemistry analyzer. For data entry and statistical analysis, respectively, Epidata software version 3.02 and SPSS version 21 were used.ResultsThe mean serum amylase among diabetic patients suffering from G3b and G4 was 106.79 IU/L ± 118.18 IU/L and 104.85 ± 90.42 IU/L, respectively. Their mean serum lipase activity was 105.07 IU/L ± 127.54 IU/L and 106.98 IU/L ± 88.35 IU/L, respectively. Serum lipase activity was elevated above the normal range and three times above the upper limit of the normal range with a magnitude of 11.2% and 4.2%, respectively. Similarly, 9.1% and 0.7% of diabetic patients had increased serum amylase above the normal range and three-fold above the normal range, respectively.ConclusionAs glomerular filtration decreases, particularly in moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease, serum amylase and lipase activity rise above the upper limit.

Combined Systemic Intake of K-ATP Opener (Nicorandil) and Mesenchymal Stem Cells Preconditioned With Nicorandil Alleviates Pancreatic Insufficiency in a Model of Bilateral Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

We used nicorandil, a K-ATP channel opener, to study the role of these channels in the amelioration of renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced pancreatic injury, and the possible involvement of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Forty-two male Wistar rats were included in this study, six were sacrificed for extraction of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and conducting the in-vitro work, the others were included in vivo study and equally divided into six groups. Group 1 (sham control), but groups 2–6 were subjected to bilateral renal I/R: Group 2 (I/R); Group 3 (I/R-NC), treated with nicorandil; Group 4 (I/R-MSCs), treated with BM-MSCs; Group 5 (I/R-MSCC), treated with nicorandil-preconditioned BM-MSCs; Group 6 (I/R-NC-MSCC), treated with both systemic nicorandil and preconditioned BM-MSCC. Renal injury and subsequent pancreatic damage were detected in the I/R group by a significant increase in serum urea, creatinine, fasting glucose, and pancreatic enzymes. The pancreatic tissues showed a reduction in cellularity and a significant decrease in the expression of the cell survival pathway, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, in the I/R group compared to the control. Preconditioning MSCs with nicorandil significantly enhanced the proliferation assay and decreased their apoptotic markers. Indeed, combined systemic nicorandil and nicorandil-preconditioning maintained survival of MSC in the pancreatic tissue and amelioration of apoptotic markers and pancreatic TNF-α production. Histologically, all treated groups revealed better pancreatic architecture, and increased area % of anti-insulin antibody and CD31, which were all best observed in the NC-MSCC group. Thus, using K-ATP channel opener was efficient to enhance PI3K/Akt/mTOR expression levels (in vivo and in vitro).

Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis Caused by Transient Hypertriglyceridemia in a Patient With DKA and Normal Serum Amylase and Lipase

We report a case of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), and acute necrotizing pancreatitis in a previously healthy male who presented with epigastric pain. Transient HTG triggered by DKA was the likely cause of his acute pancreatitis (AP). On admission, his serum pancreatic enzymes were within normal limits. He was treated successfully with intravenous insulin therapy and volume resuscitation. This triad of DKA, HTG, and AP has rarely been reported in the literature, but not with normal enzyme levels. Persistent epigastric pain in a patient with DKA and severe HTG should warrant the consideration of AP, even if the pancreatic enzymes are within normal limits.

Nutrition therapy in acute and chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease associated with disorders of nutrient assimilation and, as a result, with significant changes in the nutritional status. All patients with acute pancreatitis should be considered at nutritional risk and should be screened using validated screening methods. The optimal nutritional treatment for acute pancreatitis has been debated for decades. The traditional approach was "nothing in the mouth", only parenteral nutrition until the acute symptoms disappear and the level of serum pancreatic enzymes decreases. However, this tactic can contribute to various complications, starting with malnutrition and ending with sepsis due to damage of the intestinal mucosa. Clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown that patients with acute pancreatitis can tolerate oral nutrition and that oral / enteral nutrition is associated with a shorter hospital stay and a lower rate of complications compared to solely parenteral. Therefore, early oral nutrition with a low-fat "soft food" is recommended. In case of oral feeding intolerance, enteral nutrition is preferable, but not parenteral supply. A combination of enteral and parenteral nutrition may be recommended in patients who do not tolerate a sufficient amount of enteral nutrition. Malnutrition in chronic pancreatitis cannot be detected using BMI alone, and a detailed nutritional assessment is required, including assessment of symptoms and organic functions, anthropometry, and biochemical tests. Nutritional therapy in chronic pancreatitis should be multifactorial and based on abstinence from alcohol and nicotine, and diet modification. International guidelines no longer recommend severe dietary fat restriction; on the contrary, a physiological diet is recommended, but with adequate replacement of pancreatic enzymes. In case of intolerance to physiological nutrition, a low-fat diet with oral nutritional supplements is recommended to replenish energy and nutrients. This is a review of recent studies and guidelines on nutrition in pancreatitis for physicians and medical trainees.

Correction to: Non-autoimmune acute-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus newly developed in an elderly patient presenting elevation of serum pancreatic exocrine enzymes

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s13340-021-00535-0.].

Serum pancreatic enzymes and imaging in paediatric acute pancreatitis: Does lipase diagnostic superiority justify eliminating amylase testing?

Background:In acute pancreatitis (AP), serum amylase, lipase and imaging help establish a diagnosis with recognised lipase superiority. Recent literature has debated serum amylase testing and proposed its elimination, but little is known about the diagnostic role of simultaneously measured serum amylase levels in patients with non-diagnostic lipase. This study examined the contribution of pancreatic enzymes and imaging and the role of simultaneously measured serum amylase in children with non-diagnostic serum lipase.Methods:Retrospective medical records review of children aged <18 years with a verified discharge diagnosis of first-attack AP between January 01, 1994, and December 31, 2016.Results:First-attack AP was confirmed in 127 children (median age, 12.5 years). The sensitivity was 90.4%, 54.3%, 42.2% and 36.4% for lipase, amylase, contrast-enhanced computed tomography and ultrasonography (US), respectively. Combination US and lipase identified 96.6% of AP cases. Simultaneous amylase and lipase measurements in 125 children showed that either was ≥3× the upper limit of normal (ULN) in 95.2%, while both were <3× the ULN in 4.8% of cases. Nondiagnostic lipase was seen in 12 (9.6%) children, and diagnosis was based on amylase level ≥3× the ULN in six children and imaging in the other six.Conclusions:Serum amylase, serum lipase and imaging should continue for the conclusive diagnosis of AP in children. Simultaneous serum amylase measurement helped diagnose AP with non-diagnostic lipase.

Early postoperative serum hyperamylasemia: Harbinger of morbidity hiding in plain sight?

BackgroundThe clinical significance of postoperative serum pancreatic enzyme elevation after pancreatoduodenectomy is understudied. We hypothesized that elevation in serum enzymes predicts morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy. MethodsRetrospective review of 677 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy at a single institution from 2013 to 2019. Patients were categorized based on serum enzyme concentrations. Patient characteristics, drain amylase, and outcomes among groups were compared. ResultsIn total, 415 of 677 patients had postoperative serum amylase concentrations measured. Of these, 243 (59%) were normal, 96 (23%) were classified as postoperative serum hyperamylasemia, and 76 (18%) were classified as postoperative acute pancreatitis. Major morbidity was lower among patients with normal enzyme concentration (10%) and higher in patients with postoperative serum hyperamylasemia (23%) and postoperative acute pancreatitis (18%) (P = .008). Patients with normal enzymes were less likely to develop postoperative pancreatic fistula (5%) compared with patients with postoperative serum hyperamylasemia (26%) and postoperative acute pancreatitis (21%) (P < .001) and less likely to develop delayed gastric emptying (9% vs 23% and 20%, respectively); P = .002. No difference in mortality was seen among groups. ConclusionElevated serum pancreatic enzyme concentration occurs frequently after pancreatoduodenectomy and is associated with increased postoperative morbidity. Serum enzyme concentration should be considered in management after pancreatoduodenectomy.

Serum amylase and lipase levels in healthy volunteers assessed by multiple commercial analyzers: Variability with established reference values

Background/Aims: Although serum pancreatic enzyme measurements for amylase and lipase are the most widely used biochemical tests for the diagnosis of pancreatitis, limitations for their interpretation of pancreatic disease do exist. An international reference method or an evidence-based cut-off value of serum pancreatic enzyme levels has not been established to facilitate standardization. Therefore, different analytic methods for serum pancreatic enzyme levels have verified their own Reference Ranges (RR) as normal values. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency of serum pancreatic enzyme values outside of the RR in healthy volunteers, using 5 different pancreatic enzyme analyzers to determine variability of values between analyzers. Methods: Healthy volunteers were screened to exclude a history of pancreatic disease or pancreatic surgery, severe gastrointestinal disease, excess alcohol intake, tobacco use, amongst other conditions. Volunteers were prospectively enrolled and blood samples from a single draw were analyzed for serum pancreatic enzyme levels on five different automated chemistry analyzer platforms. Whether or not the results were within each analyzer's institutional RR was evaluated. Results: Among screened healthy volunteers, 180 participants were enrolled who met the inclusion criteria. Serum amylase results were outside the RR in 8 (4.4%), 11 (7.2%), 19 (10.5%), 6 (3.3%) and 7 (3.9%) subjects, respectively, based on the 5 separate analyzers. Serum lipase results were not within the RR in 3 (1.7%), 20 (13.2%), 13 (7.2%), 1 (0.6%) and 2 (1.1%) subjects, respectively. Among all 22 (12.2%) subjects that were outliers of the serum amylase level, 10 (5.6%) of those subjects were outside of the RR for two or more analyzers. In contrast, among all 32 (17.8%) subjects who were outliers of serum lipase level, only four subjects (2.2%) were outside of the RR for two or more analyzers. Conclusion: Although there was slight variability in test results for serum amylase and lipase between different commonly available testing systems in healthy subjects, no values exceeded three times the upper limit of normal. There was a small group of healthy volunteers that fell outside of the reference range on two or more analyzers. If there is clinical ambiguity due to an abnormal serum pancreatic enzyme, further diagnostic testing can be pursued. Standardization amongst pancreas enzyme analyzers with a unified reference methodology and standard would be beneficial.

Study of Serum Pancreatic Amylase and Lipase Enzyme in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that is greatly exacerbated by a complete lack of insulin or insulin resistance. The pancreas is a multicellular organ, the exocrine half accounting for 84% of its volume and the endocrine half accounting for only 2%. Since these two parts of the world have a close relationship with structure and function, the disruption of one can affect the other. Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) represents the glycemic status of the patient over the previous three months. Evidence suggests that pancreatic endocrine hormones, especially insulin, affect pancreatic exocrine function. Insulin has a detrimental effect on exocrine acinar cells. Exocrine acinar cells attached to it contain a variety of enzymes, including amylase and lipase, which help digest certain food particles.&#x0D; Aim: Study of serum pancreatic amylase and lipase enzyme in patients with type 2 diabetes.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done in the Department of Biochemistry, dept. of medicine and Diabetic OPD, Datta Meghe Medical College and Shalinitai Meghe Hospital and Research Centre, Nagpur. For this study 40 diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients of both sexes with age ranging 35-60 years were selected as study group.&#x0D; Results: FBS, HbA1C, serum pancreatic amylase, and lipase mean effects between control and patients showed statistically significant differences in type 2 diabetes mellitus (P &lt;0.0001).&#x0D; Conclusion: We concluded that pancreatic amylase and lipase function are impaired in type 2 patients with diabetes, and this observation is particularly important in type 2 diabetes. It has been suggested that the analysis of pancreatic enzymes in diabetic patients may be a useful parameter in determining the progression of the disease.

Wedelolactone alleviates acute pancreatitis and associated lung injury via GPX4 mediated suppression of pyroptosis and ferroptosis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder associated with multiple organ failure. Pyroptosis and ferroptosis are two newly recognized cell death, and whether pyroptosis and ferroptosis are involved in AP remain largely elusive. The nature compound Wedelolactone (Wed) exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, the present study aims to investigate the effect of Wed on AP and unravel whether Wed could protect against AP and relevant lung injury against pyroptosis and ferroptosis. Our results showed that the pyroptosis inhibitor disulfiram or ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 significantly alleviated AP and associated lung injury in the taurocholate or caerulein-induced murine AP model. Administration with Wed ameliorated AP and lung injury as evidenced by improved pathological injuries, reduced serum pancreatic digestive enzymes, and proinflammatory cytokines. The in vivo and in vitro data demonstrated that Wed broadly inhibited caspase1/caspase11 activation, reduced mature interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and N-terminal domain of gasdermin D (GSDMD-N) level. The oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation were also suppressed along with the up-regulation of the ferroptosis antagonism marker glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4) in Wed treatment group. Wed promoted the transcriptional activity and the selenium sensitivity of GPX4. Moreover, the protective effects of Wed in caerulein-stimulated pancreatic acinar cells were markedly abrogated by the down-regulation of GPX4. Collectively, our data suggest that pyroptosis and ferroptosis play crucial roles in AP. Wed mitigated AP and associated lung injury via GPX4 mediated suppression of pyroptosis and ferroptosis.

Low Frequency of Acute Pancreatitis in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients.

The clinical significance of increased serum pancreatic enzymes (PEs) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has not yet been fully understood. We aimed to investigate the frequency and the impact on clinical outcome of PE elevation and acute pancreatitis in such patients. Clinical data, laboratory tests, and cross-sectional images were analyzed from COVID-19 patients admitted to the Tor Vergata Hospital in Rome. Variables associated with PE abnormalities, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, or death were investigated through univariate and multivariate analyses and Cox proportional hazard model. Pancreatic enzymes were available in 254 of 282 COVID-19 patients. Among these, 66 patients (26%) showed mild elevation of PE, and 11 patients (4.3%) had severe elevation (>3 times of the upper limit of normal). Overall, 2 patients met the diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis. Hepatic and renal involvements were associated with PE elevation. Multivariate analysis showed that mild and severe PE elevations were significantly associated with ICU admission (odds ratios, 5.51 [95% confidence interval, 2.36-12.89; P < 0.0001] and 26.2 [95% confidence interval, 4.82-142.39; P < 0.0001]). Increase in serum PE, but not acute pancreatitis, is frequent in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and associates with ICU admission.

Clinical Analysis of Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer and Proposal for a New Diagnostic Algorithm: A Multicenter Observational Study.

Early diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is challenging but essential for improving its poor prognosis. We established a multicenter study to clarify the clinicopathological features, and to propose new algorithm for early diagnosis of PDAC. Ninety-six patients with stage 0 and IA PDAC were enrolled from 13 high-volume centers. Overall, 70% of the patients were asymptomatic. The serum pancreatic enzyme levels were abnormal in half of the patients. The sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for detecting small PDAC was superior to computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (82%, 58%, and 38%, respectively). Indirect imaging findings were useful to detect early-stage PDAC; especially, main pancreatic duct stenosis on MRI had the highest positive rate of 86% in stage 0 patients. For preoperative pathological diagnosis, the sensitivity of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-associated pancreatic juice cytology was 84%. Among the stage IA patients, EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration revealed adenocarcinoma in 93% patients. For early diagnosis of PDAC, it is essential to identify asymptomatic patients and ensure close examinations of indirect imaging findings and standardization of preoperative pathological diagnosis. Therefore, a new diagnostic algorithm based on tumor size and imaging findings should be developed.