Updates in Pediatric Pancreatology: Proceedings of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Frontiers in Pediatric Pancreatology Symposium

The Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis in children and adolescents

Acute pancreatitis (AP) and recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) are conditions, whose incidence is apparently on the rise. Despite the ever-increasing evidence regarding the management of AP in children and adults, therapeutic actions that could potentially affect having a poor prognosis in those patients, especially in the pediatric population, continue to be carried out. Therefore, the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología convened a group of 24 expert pediatric gastroenterologists from different institutions and areas of Mexico, as well as 2 pediatric nutritionists and 2 specialists in pediatric surgery, to discuss different aspects of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of AP and RAP in the pediatric population. The aim of this document is to present the consensus results. Different AP topics were addressed by 6 working groups, each of which reviewed the information and formulated statements considered pertinent for each module, on themes involving recommendations and points of debate, concerning diagnostic or therapeutic approaches. All the statements were presented and discussed. They were then evaluated through a Delphi process, with electronic and anonymous voting, to determine the level of agreement on the statements. A total of 29 statements were formulated, all of which reached above 75% agreement in the first round of voting.

Factors associated with hospital length of stay in children with acute pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common cause of pancreatic disease in children. Previous studies have described factors related to days of hospital length of stay (LOS) in children. Our aim was to identify factors associated with LOS in AP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez in Mexico City, encompassing the time frame of January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2019. AP was confirmed by medical chart review, according to the INSPPIRE criteria at the time of hospital admission, in patients below 18 years of age. AP grade was classified, following the NASPGHAN guidelines. Demographic, clinical, biochemical, nutritional, and treatment data were collected. Prolonged hospital LOS was considered that which lasted 7 days or longer.

RESULTS

Fifty-one events (32 patients) were registered. Median LOS was 8 days (IQR 4-14 days). Antibiotic use was significantly associated with longer LOS (OR 31.71; 95% CI: 2.71-370.65; p = 0.006) and early feeding (EF) (within 72 h of admission) was associated with shorter LOS (OR 0.05; 95% CI: 0.001-0.63; p = 0.02). There was no association between LOS and the variables of age, recurrence, grade, etiology, comorbidities, complications, fluid resuscitation, parenteral nutrition, or biochemical characteristics upon admission.

CONCLUSION

Our study, like others, corroborated the fact that EF in the management of AP was associated with fewer days of hospital LOS.