A Review of Acute Pancreatitis

Doxycycline-associated acute pancreatitis: a rare adverse effect of a commonly prescribed antibiotic

In this case, a woman in her 80s presented to the emergency department with signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis that began after starting a course of doxycycline. Common aetiologies of acute pancreatitis, including alcohol use, gallstones and hypertriglyceridaemia were ruled out. Less common aetiologies, including recent Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure, hypercalcaemia, malignancy, infection and trauma, were also ruled out, making drug-induced acute pancreatitis the most likely aetiology. After consideration of her medication list, doxycycline was determined to be the offending medication. On discontinuation and treatment with fluids and analgesics, her condition slowly improved.This case illustrates a rare but severe complication of doxycycline use. Determining the aetiology of drug-induced acute pancreatitis is more difficult in older patients due to high rates of polypharmacy. Recognition of doxycycline as an aetiology of drug-induced pancreatitis may allow earlier recognition and intervention in cases of suspected pancreatitis without a clear common aetiology in older patients with polypharmacy.

Assessment of appropriate use of amylase and lipase testing in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis at an academic teaching hospital

OBJECTIVE

Despite evidence-based guidelines stating that lipase alone should be used in the diagnosis of suspected acute pancreatitis, health care providers continue to order amylase or amylase and lipase together. The purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of appropriate laboratory testing related to the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

The study used a retrospective cross-sectional design. The timeframe was from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. A retrospective chart review was used to collect data for the following: patient-provider encounter notes, patient demographics, provider demographics, differential and final diagnosis, and laboratory test results. Data analysis include stratification of categorical variables and calculation of cost savings.

RESULTS

For the 12-month period, this study found 2567 (9.3%) of all amylase and lipase tests to be unnecessary. Amylase tests (1881; 73.2%) made up the most unnecessary tests followed by lipase tests (686; 26.7%). An analysis of test-ordering behavior by providers revealed that 81.5% of all unnecessary tests were ordered by MDs. Finally, this study estimated a total cost savings of $128,350 if all unnecessary tests were eliminated.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that amylase and lipase tests have been overutilized in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.

Practical approach to acute pancreatitis: from diagnosis to the management of complications

The purpose of this review is to provide a practical guide for the clinical care of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) from the management of the early phases of disease to the treatment of local complications. AP is one of the most frequent causes of gastroenterological admission in emergency departments. It is characterized by a dynamic and unpredictable course and in its most severe forms, is associated with organ dysfunction and/or local complications, requiring intensive care with significant morbidity and mortality. Initial therapy includes adequate fluid resuscitation, nutrition, analgesia, and when necessary critical care support. In recent years, the development of minimally invasive tailored treatments for local complications, such as endoscopic drainage, has improved patients' acceptance and outcomes. Despite this, the management of AP remains a challenge for clinicians. The present review was conducted by the authors, who formulated specific questions addressing the most critical and current aspects of the clinical course of AP with the aim of providing key messages.

Crawling toward obsolescence: The extended lifespan of amylase for pancreatitis

The correlation between hyperamylasemia and acute pancreatitis was discovered in 1929, yet another test, lipase, was shown to provide better diagnostic performance in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Subsequent studies demonstrated co-ordering amylase with lipase did not provide additional benefit, only added cost. We sought to investigate the impact of studies advocating for the obsolescence of amylase on its clinical demand. We reviewed 1.3 million reportable results for amylase over 14 years (2009-2022). The trend in utilization of amylase over this period declined by 66% along a linear trajectory (R2 = 0.97). Despite demand for amylase decreasing by an average of 17,003 tests per year, the last year of the study (2022) recorded over 100,000 results for amylase. By interpolating the decline of amylase until the utilization reached zero, we calculated amylase orders will continue for 6 more years until 2028. Tests for creatinine and lipase changed <3% over the same period. Despite a multitude of studies advocating for the obsolescence of amylase, robust demand continues. Many important clinical guidelines, a source many practicing physicians rely on, have yet to acknowledge the preference for lipase over amylase. They frequently treat the two tests as equivalent, neglecting their head-to-head comparison studies and subsequent studies advocating against co-ordering both tests simultaneously. To expedite the obsolescence of amylase, which we anticipate lasting 46 years in our case study from its initial call for obsolescence to the last orders placed, metrics created specifically to monitor the utilization of unnecessary tests are also needed.

IL-17 signalling is critical for controlling subcutaneous adipose tissue dynamics and parasite burden during chronic murine Trypanosoma brucei infection

In the skin, Trypanosoma brucei colonises the subcutaneous white adipose tissue, and is proposed to be competent for forward transmission. The interaction between parasites, adipose tissue, and the local immune system is likely to drive the adipose tissue wasting and weight loss observed in cattle and humans infected with T. brucei. However, mechanistically, events leading to subcutaneous white adipose tissue wasting are not fully understood. Here, using several complementary approaches, including mass cytometry by time of flight, bulk and single cell transcriptomics, and in vivo genetic models, we show that T. brucei infection drives local expansion of several IL-17A-producing cells in the murine WAT, including TH17 and Vγ6+ cells. We also show that global IL-17 deficiency, or deletion of the adipocyte IL-17 receptor protect from infection-induced WAT wasting and weight loss. Unexpectedly, we find that abrogation of adipocyte IL-17 signalling results in a significant accumulation of Dpp4+ Pi16+ interstitial preadipocytes and increased extravascular parasites in the WAT, highlighting a critical role for IL-17 signalling in controlling preadipocyte fate, subcutaneous WAT dynamics, and local parasite burden. Taken together, our study highlights the central role of adipocyte IL-17 signalling in controlling WAT responses to infection, suggesting that adipocytes are critical coordinators of tissue dynamics and immune responses to T. brucei infection.

First Reported Case of Dulaglutide-Induced Acute Pancreatitis With Normal Serum Lipase Level

Dulaglutide is being extensively used for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure and is also being used as an off-label weight loss aid. Due to its wide use, we had to shed some light on this rare finding of normal lipase level in a patient with signs and symptoms suggestive of acute pancreatitis. A high index of clinical suspicion for acute pancreatitis despite normal lipase should warrant a low threshold for radiological imaging to rule it out.

Comparison of modified Glasgow-Imrie, Ranson, and Apache II scoring systems in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis

&lt;b&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; The course of acute pancreatitis is variable with patients at risk of poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare Modified Glasgow-Imrie, Ranson, and APACHE II scoring systems in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt; Material and Methods: &lt;/b&gt; After a brief history, clinical examination and qualifying inclusion criteria, 70 patients (41 women, 29 men) diagnosed with acute pancreatitis were included in the study. The three scores were calculated for each patient and evaluated for their role in the assessment of specific outcomes. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; 34.3% patients were diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis, while 65.7% patients had mild acute pancreatitis. A strong positive correlation was found between all the prognostic scores and the severity of disease. In the prediction of the severity of disease according to AUC, it was found that Glasgow-Imrie score had an AUC of 0.864 (0.7560.973), followed very closely by APACHE II score with an AUC of 0.863 (0.7580.968). APACHE II had the highest sensitivity (79.17%) in predicting severity while Glasgow-Imrie score was the most specific (97.83%) of all the scores. Patients with a Glasgow-Imrie score above the cut-off value of 3 had more complications and a longer hospital stay. &lt;/br&gt;&lt;/br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The Glasgow-Imrie score was comparable to APACHE II score and better than Ranson score statistically in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis. Its administration in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis is recommended.