Acute pancreatitis and recurrent acute pancreatitis: an exploration of clinical and etiologic factors and outcomes / Pancreatite aguda e pancreatite aguda recorrente: uma exploração de fatores clínicos e etiológicos e desfechos

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the epidemiology and clinical features of acute pancreatitis and recurrent acute pancreatitis in children. Methods: Observational and retrospective study with an analytical component. Patients were classified into two groups: Acute pancreatitis and recurrent pancreatitis. The relationship with each parameter obtained was analyzed using the chi-squared test, Student's t-test, or the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: There were 130 patients with acute pancreatitis; recurrent pancreatitis was diagnosed in 23.8% of the cases. The most frequent causes were anatomical (29.6%), pharmacological (19.2%), and biliary (14.6%), although in 29.2% etiology was not identified. Fasting lasted 3.5 ± 3.8 days and parenteral nutrition was indicated in 26.9% of the cases for 10.8 ± 11.3 days. A statistical association with anatomical (p = 0.02) and pharmacological causes (p = 0.01) was found in the recurrent pancreatitis group; no other differences between acute pancreatitis and recurrent pancreatitis groups were observed. The mortality rate was 3.1%, it was not attributable to acute pancreatitis in any cases. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis is associated with a high frequency of acute recurrent pancreatitis. Severity and complications did not show statistically significant differences in this investigation. Anatomical etiologies were the most relevant cause in this cohort. Fasting time and parenteral nutrition use were relevant. Genetics testing is required in this population.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever a epidemiologia e as características clínicas da pancreatite aguda e da pancreatite aguda recorrente em crianças. Métodos: Estudo observacional e retrospectivo com um componente analítico. Os pacientes foram classificados em dois grupos: pancreatite aguda e pancreatite recorrente. A relação com cada parâmetro obtido foi analisada com o teste de qui-quadrado, teste t de Student ou teste U de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: Foram analisados 130 pacientes com pancreatite aguda; pancreatite recorrente foi diagnosticada em 23,8% dos casos. As causas mais frequentes foram anatômicas (29,6%), farmacológicas (19,2%) e biliares (14,6%), embora em 29,2% a etiologia não tenha sido identificada. O jejum durou 3,5 ± 3,8 dias e a nutrição parenteral foi indicada em 26,9% dos casos por 10,8 ± 11,3 dias. Uma associação estatística com causas anatômicas (p = 0,02) e farmacológicas (p = 0,01) foi encontrada no grupo com pancreatite recorrente; não foram observadas outras diferenças entre os grupos pancreatite aguda e pancreatite recorrente. A taxa de mortalidade foi de 3,1% e nenhum caso foi atribuível à pancreatite aguda. Conclusão: A pancreatite aguda está associada à alta frequência de pancreatite aguda recorrente. A gravidade e as complicações não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas nesta investigação. Etiologias anatômicas foram a causa mais relevante nesta coorte. O tempo de jejum e o uso de nutrição parenteral foram relevantes. Testes genéticos são necessários em nossas populações.

Detection of Giardia duodenalis antigen in human fecal eluates by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using polyclonal antibodies

The present study developed and standardized an enzime-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect Giardia antigen in feces using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. Giardia cysts were purified from human fecal samples by sucrose and percoll gradients. Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were infected to obtain trophozoites. Rabbits were inoculated with either cyst or trophozoite antigens of 14 Colombian Giardia isolates to develop antibodies against the respective stages. The IgG anti-Giardia were purified by sequential caprylic acid and ammonium sulfate precipitation. A portion of these polyclonal antibodies was linked to alkaline phosphatase (conjugate). One hundred and ninety six samples of human feces, from different patients, were tested by parasitologic diagnosis: 69 were positive for Giardia cysts, 56 had no Giardia parasites, and 71 revealed parasites other than Giardia. The optimal concentration of polyclonal antibodies for antigen capture was 40 æg/ml and the optimal conjugate dilution was 1:100. The absorbance cut-off value was 0.24. The parameters of the ELISA test for Giardia antigen detection were: sensitivity, 100 percent (95 percent CI: 93.4-100 percent); specificity, 95 percent (95 percent CI: 88.6-97.6 percent); positive predictive value, 91 percent (95 percent CI: 81.4-95.9 percent); and negative predictive value, 100 percent (95 percent CI: 96.1-100 percent). This ELISA will improve the diagnosis of Giardia infections in Colombia and will be useful in following patients after treatment