Trends in Early and Late Mortality in Patients With Severe Acute Pancreatitis Admitted to ICUs: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate national mortality trends over a 12-year period for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) admitted to Dutch ICUs. Additionally, an assessment of outcome in SAP was undertaken to differentiate between early (< 14 d of ICU admission) and late (> 14 d of ICU admission) mortality. DESIGN: Data from the Dutch National Intensive Care Evaluation and health insurance companies' databases were extracted. Outcomes included 14-day, ICU, hospital, and 1-year mortality. Mortality before and after 2010 was compared using mixed logistic regression and mixed Cox proportional-hazards models. Sensitivity analyses, excluding early mortality, were performed to assess trends in late mortality. SETTING: Not applicable. PATIENTS: Consecutive adult patients with SAP admitted to all 81 Dutch ICUs between 2007 and 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among 4,160 patients treated in 81 ICUs, 14-day mortality was 17%, ICU mortality 17%, hospital mortality 23%, and 1-year mortality 33%. After 2010 in-hospital mortality adjusted for age, sex, modified Marshall, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III scores were lower (odds ratio [OR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.61-0.94) than before 2010. There was no change in ICU and 1-year mortality. Sensitivity analyses excluding patients with early mortality demonstrated a decreased ICU mortality (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.32-0.64), decreased in-hospital (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.36-0.63), and decreased 1-year mortality (hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68-0.96) after 2010 compared with 2007-2010. CONCLUSIONS: Over the 12-year period examined, mortality in patients with SAP admitted to Dutch ICUs did not change, although after 2010 late mortality decreased. Novel therapies should focus on preventing early mortality in SAP.

Are omega-3 fatty acids safe and effective in acute pancreatitis or sepsis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is marked by a strong pro-inflammatory response, which may cause a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), organ failure, and death. Early administration of omega-3 fatty acids (FA) may reduce the pro-inflammatory response and improve outcome in AP. A systematic review focusing on the safety and efficacy of omega-3 FA in AP is lacking. AIM: Evaluate the safety and efficacy of an intervention with omega-3 FA in acute pancreatitis and additionally in sepsis. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases including only randomized controlled trials in AP and, for safety endpoints, in sepsis investigating intervention including omega-3 FA without other active components (e.g. addition of glutamine to the intervention). The primary outcome was mortality. RESULTS: After screening 1186 studies, five randomized trials (n = 229) with omega-3 FA in AP were included. In AP patients treated with omega-3 FA within 48 h after hospitalization, a non-significant reduction of mortality was seen (OR 0∙50, 95%CI 0∙13-1∙99, p = 0∙33), compared to controls. In two studies (n = 85), omega-3 FA reduced the risk of new onset of organ failure (OR 0∙33, 95%CI 0∙12-0∙93, p = 0∙04). Nine randomized trials with 312 patients suffering from sepsis (not pancreatitis related) demonstrated a reduced mortality (OR 0∙52, 95%CI 0∙28-0∙97, p = 0·04). None of these 14 randomized trials reported safety concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of omega-3 FA could reduce the risk of new-organ failure in patients with AP. There were no safety issues reported of the early administration of omega-3 FA in any of the included studies. To show the real clinical benefit of omega-3 FA in AP, a large and pragmatic randomized controlled trial is needed.

Current Concepts in Severe Acute and Necrotizing Pancreatitis: An Evidence-Based Approach.

The incidence of acute pancreatitis continues to rise, inducing substantial medical and social burden, with annual costs exceeding $2 billion in the United States alone. Although most patients develop mild pancreatitis, 20% develop severe and/or necrotizing pancreatitis, requiring advanced medical and interventional care. Morbidity resulting from local and systemic complications as well as invasive interventions result in mortality rates historically as high as 30%. There has been substantial evolution of strategies for interventions in recent years, from open surgery to minimally invasive surgical and endoscopic step-up approaches. In contrast to the advances in invasive procedures for complications, early management still lacks curative options and consists of adequate fluid resuscitation, analgesics, and monitoring. Many challenges remain, including comprehensive management of the entire spectrum of the disease, which requires close involvement of multiple disciplines at specialized centers.