Lactated Ringer's vs normal saline for acute pancreatitis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Normal saline versus Ringer's solution and critical-illness mortality in acute pancreatitis: a nationwide inpatient database study

BACKGROUND

Fluid resuscitation is fundamental in acute pancreatitis (AP) treatment. However, the optimal choice between normal saline (NS) and Ringer's solution (RS), and its impact on mortality in critically ill patients, remains controversial. This retrospective cohort study, utilizing a national Japanese inpatient database, investigates this question.

METHODS

Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database between July 2010 and March 2021, we identified adult patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) or high-dependency care units (HDU) for AP who survived at least three days and received sufficient fluid resuscitation (≥ [10 ml/kg/hr*1 h + 1 ml/kg/hr*71 h] ml) within three days of admission including emergency room infusions. Patients were classified into groups based on the predominant fluid type received: the NS group (> 80% normal saline) and the RS group (> 80% Ringer's solution). Propensity score matching was employed to reduce potential confounding factors and facilitate a balanced comparison of in-hospital mortality between the two groups.

RESULTS

Our analysis included 8710 patients with AP. Of these, 657 (7.5%) received predominantly NS, and 8053 (92.5%) received predominantly RS. Propensity score matching yielded 578 well-balanced pairs for comparison. The NS group demonstrated significantly higher in-hospital mortality than the RS group (12.8% [474/578] vs. 8.5% [49/578]; risk difference, 4.3%; 95% confidence interval, 0.3% to 8.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients admitted to ICU or HDU with AP receiving adequate fluid resuscitation, RS can be a preferred infusion treatment compared to NS.

Comparison of Fluid Resuscitation with Lactate Ringer's Versus Normal Saline in Acute Pancreatitis: An Updated Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Fluid resuscitation is one of the main therapies for acute pancreatitis (AP). There is still no consensus on the type of fluid resuscitation. This study investigated the differences between lactate Ringer's (LR) and normal saline (NS) in treating AP.

METHODS

Two authors systematically searched Web of Science, Embase (via OVID), Cochrane Library, and PubMed to find all published research before July, 2023. The odds of moderately severe/severe AP and intensive care unit (ICU) admission are set as primary endpoints.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 5 RCTs and 4 observational studies with 1424 AP patients in LR (n = 651) and NS (n = 773) groups. The results suggested that the odds of moderately severe/severe AP (OR 0.48; 95%Cl 0.34 to 0.67; P < 0.001) and ICU admission (OR 0.37; 95%Cl 0.16 to 0.87; P = 0.02) were lower in the LR group compared to NS group. In addition, the LR group had lower rates of local complications (OR 0.54; 95%Cl 0.32 to 0.92; P = 0.02), lower level of CRP, as well as a shorter hospital stay (WMD, - 1.09 days; 95%Cl - 1.72 to - 0.47 days; P < 0.001) than the NS group. Other outcomes, such as mortality, the rate of organ failure, SIRS, acute fluid collection, pancreatic necrosis, pseudocysts, and volume overload, did not differ significantly between two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

LR is preferred over NS as it decreases the odds of moderately severe/severe AP, the rate of ICU admission, local complication, and length of hospital stay. However, large-scale RCT are lacking to support these evidence.

A meta-analysis of Lactate Ringer's solution versus Normal Saline in the treatment of acute pancreatitis

Fluid resuscitation is an important way in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP). This meta-analysis aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of Lactate Ringer's solution (LR) and Normal Saline (NS) in the treatment of patients with acute pancreatitis. Searched in PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate), Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, China Wanfang, and China VIP database. All randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were identified. Six studies with 431 patients were included. Compared with NS, LR can significantly reduce the incidence of SIRS at 24h, reduce the length of hospitalization, moderate-severe AP, ICU admission and local complications, especially pancreatic necrosis. It is safe and effective to choose LR for fluid resuscitation in AP, but due to the small number of included studies, multi-center and large-sample RCTs are still needed for further verification. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022322788.

Lactated Ringers Use in the First 24 Hours of Hospitalization Is Associated With Improved Outcomes in 999 Patients With Acute Pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION

Recent pilot trials in acute pancreatitis (AP) found that lactated ringers (LR) usage may result in decreased risk of moderately severe/severe AP compared with normal saline, but their small sample sizes limit statistical power. We investigated whether LR usage is associated with improved outcomes in AP in an international multicenter prospective study.

METHODS

Patients directly admitted with the diagnosis of AP were prospectively enrolled at 22 international sites between 2015 and 2018. Demographics, fluid administration, and AP severity data were collected in a standardized prospective manner to examine the association between LR and AP severity outcomes. Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the direction and magnitude of the relationship between the type of fluid administered during the first 24 hours and the development of moderately severe/severe AP.

RESULTS

Data from 999 patients were analyzed (mean age 51 years, female 52%, moderately severe/severe AP 24%). Usage of LR during the first 24 hours was associated with reduced odds of moderately severe/severe AP (adjusted odds ratio 0.52; P = 0.014) compared with normal saline after adjusting for region of enrollment, etiology, body mass index, and fluid volume and accounting for the variation across centers. Similar results were observed in sensitivity analyses eliminating the effects of admission organ failure, etiology, and excessive total fluid volume.

DISCUSSION

LR administration in the first 24 hours of hospitalization was associated with improved AP severity. A large-scale randomized clinical trial is needed to confirm these findings.

Medical management of hypertriglyceridemia in pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) should be considered in all cases of acute pancreatitis and triglyceride levels measured early, so that appropriate early and long-term treatment can be initiated.

RECENT FINDINGS

In most cases of HTG-AP, conservative management (nothing by mouth, intravenous fluid resuscitation and analgesia) is sufficient to achieve triglyceride levels less than 500 mg/dl. Intravenous insulin and plasmapheresis are sometimes used, although prospective studies showing clinical benefits are lacking. Pharmacological management of hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) should start early and target triglyceride levels of less than 500 mg/dl to reduce the risk or recurrent acute pancreatitis. In addition to currently used fenofibrate and omega-3 fatty acids, several novel agents are being studied for long-term treatment of HTG. These emerging therapies focus mainly on modifying the action of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) through inhibition of apolipoprotein CIII and angiopoietin-like protein 3. Dietary modifications and avoidance of secondary factors that worsen triglyceride levels should also be pursued. In some cases of HTG-AP, genetic testing may help personalize management and improve outcomes.

SUMMARY

Patients with HTG-AP require acute and long-term management of HTG with the goal of reducing and maintaining triglyceride levels to less than 500 mg/dl.

Acute Pancreatitis: Current Clinical Approaches, Molecular Pathophysiology, and Potential Therapeutics

OBJECTIVE

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), pancreatic inflammation leading to multiorgan failure, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There is a critical need to identify novel therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes for SAP patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was performed to identify current clinical strategies, known molecular pathophysiology, and potential therapeutic targets for SAP.

RESULTS

Current clinical approaches focus on determining which patients will likely develop SAP. However, therapeutic options are limited to supportive care and fluid resuscitation. The application of a novel 5-cytokine panel accurately predicting disease outcomes in SAP suggests that molecular approaches will improve impact of future clinical trials in AP.

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammatory outcomes in acute pancreatitis are driven by several unique molecular signals, which compound to promote both local and systemic inflammation. The identification of master cytokine regulators is critical to developing therapeutics, which reduce inflammation through several mechanisms.

Crystalloid Solutions in Hospital: A Review of Existing Literature

Intravenous fluids (IVF) like normal saline (NS) and Ringer's lactate (RL) are often crucial in the management of hospitalized patients. Mishandling these fluids can lead to complications in about 20% of patients receiving them. In this review, we present the current evidence through the identification of observational studies and randomized trials that observed the optimal use of IVF. We found that NS may cause hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in surgical patients, but there is no clear difference in mortality and long-term outcomes between NS and balanced crystalloids. Critically ill patients, particularly those in sepsis, benefit from balanced crystalloids, as high chloride content fluids like NS increase the risk of complications and mortality. In pancreatitis, NS has been shown to increase the risk of ICU admission when compared to RL; however, there is no significant difference in long-term outcomes and mortality between the fluids. RL is preferred for burns due to its isotonicity and lack of protein, preventing edema formation in an already dehydrated state. Plasma-lyte may resolve diabetic ketoacidosis faster, while prolonged NS use can lead to metabolic acidosis, acute kidney injury, and cerebral edema. In conclusion, NS, RL, and plasma-lyte are the most commonly used isotonic IVF in the hospital population. Incorrect choice of fluids in a different clinical scenario can lead to worse outcomes.

Controversies in the management of acute pancreatitis: An update

This review summarized the current controversies in the management of acute pancreatitis (AP). The controversies in management range from issues involving fluid resuscitation, nutrition, the role of antibiotics and antifungals, which analgesic to use, role of anticoagulation and intervention for complications in AP. The interventions vary from percutaneous drainage, endoscopy or surgery. Active research and emerging data are helping to formulate better guidelines. The available evidence favors crystalloids, although the choice and type of fluid resuscitation is an area of dynamic research. The nutrition aspect does not have controversy as of now as early enteral feeding is preferred most often than not. The empirical use of antibiotics and antifungals are gray zones, and more data is needed for conclusive guidelines. The choice of analgesic is being studied, and the recommendations are still evolving. The position of using anticoagulation is still awaiting consensus. The role of intervention is well established, although the modality is constantly changing and favoring endoscopy or percutaneous drainage rather than surgery. It is evident that more multicenter randomized controlled trials are required for establishing the standard of care in these crucial management issues of AP to improve the morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Update on the management of acute pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review provides insight into the recent advancements in the management of acute pancreatitis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Moderate fluid resuscitation and Ringer's lactate has advantages above aggressive fluid resuscitation and normal saline, respectively. A normal "on-demand" diet has a positive effect on recovery from acute pancreatitis and length of hospital stay. A multimodal pain management approach including epidural analgesia might reduce unwarranted effects of opiate use. A more targeted use of antibiotics is starting to emerge. Markers such as procalcitonin may be used to limit unwarranted antibiotic use. Conversely, many patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis can be treated with only antibiotics, although the optimal choice and duration is unclear. Delay of drainage as much as is possible is advised since it is associated with less procedures. If drainage is required, clinicians have an expanding arsenal of interventional options to their disposal such as the lumen-apposing metal stent for transgastric drainage and (repeated) necrosectomy. Immunomodulation using removal of systemic cytokines or anti-inflammatory drugs is an attractive idea, but up to now the results of clinical trials are disappointing. No additional preventive measures beside non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be recommended for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis.

SUMMARY

More treatment modalities that are less invasive became available and a trend towards less aggressive treatments (fluids, starvation, interventions, opiates) of acute pancreatitis is again emerging. Despite recent advancements, the pathophysiology of specific subgroup phenotypes is still poorly understood which reflects the disappointing results of pharmacological and immunomodulatory trials.

Lactated Ringer's or Normal Saline for Initial Resuscitation in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Database Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Fluid resuscitation is required in acute pancreatitis (AP) to prevent hypovolemia and organ hypoperfusion. Lactated Ringer's (LR) is a buffered crystalloid with possible advantages in AP versus normal saline (NS). We aim to assess outcomes in patients hospitalized with AP based on fluid used for resuscitation.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, we identified hospital admissions to Veterans Affairs facilities for AP from 2011 to 2017 and grouped by initial resuscitation fluid: LR versus NS. Outcomes included major complications and mortality at 30 and 365 days. Multivariable models were used to adjust for confounding variables.

RESULTS

A total of 20,049 admissions were included in the study, of which 10% received LR as initial fluid. After adjustment for all available confounders, resuscitation with LR was associated with lower 1-year mortality compared with NS (adjusted odds ratio, 0.61 [95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.76]). Major complication and early mortality were similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we demonstrate an association between use of LR as initial resuscitation fluid and reduced 1-year mortality in a large retrospective sample of veterans hospitalized with AP. These results support the use of LR for resuscitation for most patients hospitalized with AP.

Lactated Ringer's Solution Reduces Severity, Mortality, Systemic and Local Complications in Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fluid therapy is the cornerstone of early supportive therapy in acute pancreatitis (AP). Regrettably, the type of fluid is still debated among clinicians, despite recent evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We aimed to incorporate all evidence from RCTs comparing lactated Ringer's solution (LR) with normal saline (NS) in adult and pediatric AP patients, with particular emphasis on clinically relevant outcomes. We evaluated RCTs comparing intravenous fluid resuscitation with LR to NS in adult or pediatric AP patients according to a prospectively registered protocol (CRD42021224542). Moderate-to-severe AP (MSAP), mortality, length of hospitalization (LoH), need for intensive care, the incidence of systemic (organ failure, OF) and local complications (in total), necrosis and pseudocyst formation were analyzed separately. Risk ratio (RR) and median difference (MD) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random effect model. Risk of bias and quality of evidence were assessed. Altogether, 8 eligible RCTs were found, including 557 patients (LR: 278; NS: 279). LR reduced the risk of MSAP by 31% (RR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.36-0.97, high quality) and the risk of death by 62% (RR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.24-0.98, very low quality). LR was associated with a significantly lower risk of need for intensive care (RR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.33-0.77), OF (RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61-0.99) and local complications (RR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46-0.89). No significant risk reduction was observed for LoH (MD: -0.57 days, CI: -1.33-0.19), necrosis, pseudocyst and inflammatory parameters by LR compared to NS. LR reduces severity, mortality, need of intensive care and systemic and local complications in AP.

Aggressive intravenous hydration protocol of Lactated Ringer's solution benefits patients with mild acute pancreatitis: A meta-analysis of 5 randomized controlled trials

Objective

The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the role of an aggressive intravenous hydration protocol of Lactated Ringer's solution in patients with mild acute pancreatitis (MAP).

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before August 19, 2022. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the standard mean difference (SMD), mean difference (MD), risk ratio (RR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). The primary outcome was clinical improvement, while the secondary outcomes were the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), relief of epigastric abdominal pain, and length of hospital stay (LoH). Statistical analysis was performed with RevMan 5.4. Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group system was used to determine the quality of evidences.

Results

There were five RCTs with 370 MAP patients included, and the overall methodological quality was moderate. Aggressive hydration protocol was comparable to standard hydration protocol in terms of clinical improvement (RR = 1.33, 95%CI = 0.95-1.87, P = 0.10; very low evidence). Fewer events of SIRS (RR = 0.48, 95%CI = 0.31-0.72, P < 0.001; low evidence) and MODS (RR = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.13-0.91, P = 0.03; moderate evidence) were reported in patients receiving aggressive hydration protocol. Meanwhile, aggressive hydration protocol also significantly relieved epigastric abdominal pain (SMD = -0.53, 95%CI = -0.81 to -0.25, P < 0.001; low evidence) and shorten the LoH (MD = -2.36, 95%CI = -3.17 to -1.55, P < 0.001; low evidence) compared with standard hydration protocol.

Conclusion

For patients with MAP, aggressive hydration protocol may be more effective than standard hydration protocol at lowering SIRS and MODS rates, relieving epigastric abdominal pain, and shortening the LoH. Due to the small number of studies that are eligible and poor methodological quality of eligible studies, further studies are required to validate our findings.

Lactate Ringer's Versus Normal Saline in the Management of Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Fluid therapy plays a critical role in the management of acute pancreatitis. Normal saline (NS) is commonly used in these patients. However, Lactate Ringer's (LR) has also been shown to be useful for this condition.

AIM

To assess the effect of LR compared to NS in patients with acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

We searched in three electronic databases from inception to December 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Outcomes were mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital stay, and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) at 24, 48, and 72 h. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. All meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Four RCTs comprising 248 patients were included. The mean age ranged from 42.3 to 63.8 years and 49% of patients were men. Patients treated with LR had similar risk of mortality (risk ratio [RR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-3.00) and SIRS at 24 h (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.32-1.51), 48 h (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.46-1.41), and 72 h (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.37-1.25) compared to NS. LR had significantly lower hospital stay (mean difference, - 1.10; 95% CI, - 1.92 to - 0.28) and lower risk of ICU admission (RR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.20-0.89) compared to NS. The risk of bias was low in nearly all RCTs.

CONCLUSION

No differences were found in the mortality and SIRS at 24, 48, and 72 h in patients treated with LR and NS. In contrast, patients who received LR had a lower risk of ICU admission and lower hospital stay than NS.