Outcome of acute pancreatitis in octogenarians: A retrospective study

Clinical evaluation of the severity of acute pancreatitis in elderly patients

Background and study aims

Acute pancreatitis incidence in geriatric patients has increased in recent years. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes, laboratory findings of acute pancreatitis among patients aged 65-74 years, 75-84 years and ≥85 years.

Patients and methods

This retrospective study analyzed 500 patients aged 65 years and above, who were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis between 2012 and 2022. They were categorized into three groups based on their age: 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and ≥85 years. The primary outcome of the study focused on comparing the hospital mortality rates among the three age groups. The secondary outcomes involved comparing the length of hospital stay, intensive care unit admission, rates of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and cholecystectomy requirement among the three age groups.

Results

The study's primary outcome is the significantly higher mortality rate in the oldest age group (p=0.002). In addition, patients with a Bedside index score ≥3, severe pancreatitis according to the revised Atlanta criteria, necrotizing pancreatitis, and drug-induced pancreatitis had significantly higher mortality rates. Hospitalized patients in the intensive care unit also showed a statistically significant increase in mortality rates. Interestingly, the rate of cholecystectomy operations was significantly lower in the group with higher mortality (p=0.030). When evaluated in terms of secondary outcomes, no significant difference was found in all three age groups.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that the oldest age group had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to the other age groups. As a result, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are of utmost importance to enhance outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Long-term outcome of patients with biliary pancreatitis not undergoing cholecystectomy. A retrospective study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Most acute pancreatitis are of biliary origin and undergoing a cholecystectomy is recommended to prevent recurrence. However, some patients will never be referred to surgery. We reviewed the long-term follow-up of these group of patients Methods All cases of biliary pancreatitis presented from January 2015 to December 2017 that did not receive a cholecystectomy were analyzed. Epidemiologic data and Charlson comorbidity Index (CCI) were recorded. Recurrent episodes of pancreatitis or biliary events and mortality during the follow-up period was recorded. Results A total of 104 patients were included in the study (30.4% of all biliary pancreatitis). Median age was 82 years (range 27-96). Average CCI was 5 (range 0-18). The median follow-up period was 37 months (range 1-70). A total of 41 patients (39.4%) had gallstone-related complications. Twenty-three patients (22,1%) had recurrent pancreatitis and 34 (32,7%) developed biliary events. Decease occurred in 25 patients during follow-up (24%) but only 6 (5,8%) were due to gallstone-related complications. Non-related mortality was 15.5% in patients who refused surgery and 25% if high comorbidity patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients that are not cholecystectomized are at high risk for biliary event and pancreatitis recurrence. Conservative treatment and surgical abstention should be individualized and reserved to high comorbid patients with short life expectancy.