[Utility of bolus somatostatin administration in preventing pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a controlled, non-randomized study]

Risk Factors of Acute Pancreatitis in Oral Double Balloon Enteroscopy

Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) was introduced 15 years ago. The complications of diagnostic DBE are rare, acute pancreatitis is most redoubtable one (incidence about 0.3%). Hyperamylasemia after DBE seems to be a rather common condition respectively. The most probable cause seems to be a mechanical straining of the pancreas. We tried to identify patients in a higher risk of acute pancreatitis after DBE. We investigated several laboratory markers before and after DBE (serum cathepsin B, lactoferrin, E-selectin, SPINK 1, procalcitonin, S100 proteins, alfa-1-antitrypsin, hs-CRP, malondialdehyde, serum and urine amylase and serum lipase). Serum amylase and lipase rose significantly with the maximum 4 hours after DBE. Serum cathepsin and procalcitonin decreased significantly 4 hours after DBE compared to healthy controls and patients values before DBE. Either serum amylase or lipase 4 hours after DBE did not correlate with any markers before DBE. There was a trend for an association between the number of push-and-pull cycles and procalcitonin and urine amylase 4 hours after DBE; between procalcitonin and alfa-1-antitrypsin, cathepsin and hs-CRP; and between E-selectin and malondialdehyde 4 hours after DBE. We found no laboratory markers determinative in advance those patients in a higher risk of acute pancreatitis after DBE.

Effect of diclofenac on the levels of lipoxin A4 and Resolvin D1 and E1 in the post-ERCP pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Numerous studies have shown that administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce the incidence of acute pancreatitis after ERCP. Little is known, however, about the mechanism of NSAIDs in preventing pancreatitis (PEP).

METHODS

In this study, we assigned patients to receive a single dose of intramuscular diclofenac 75 mg immediately after ERCP (diclofenac group) or without (control group). The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of PEP. The serum amylase levels were measured before ERCP and at 3 and 24 h post-procedure in all patients. The Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), Resolvin D1 (Rvd1), and Resolvin E1 (RvE1) levels were measured before ERCP, and 3 and 24 h after the procedure in 30 patients from the diclofenac group and 30 patients from the control group.

RESULTS

A total of 120 patients were enrolled and completed the follow-up. The overall incidence of PEP was 13.3% (16/120). It occurred in four of 60 patients (6.67%) in the diclofenac group and in 12 of 60 patients (20.00%) in the control group (p = 0.032). The LxA4, RvD1, and RvE1 levels in the diclofenac group at 3 h after ERCP were significantly increased compared with before ERCP (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the LxA4, RvD1, and RvE1 levels in the diclofenac group at 3 and 24 h after ERCP were significantly increased (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Intramuscular diclofenac after ERCP can reduce the incidence of PEP. This may be related to the fact that diclofenac can increase the levels of LxA4, RvD1, and RvE1.

Can postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis be prevented by a pharmacological approach?

Acute pancreatitis remains the most frequent complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), with reported incidence rates that have changed little over several decades. Patient- and procedure-related risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) are well-defined. Effective measures to prevent PEP have been identified, including improvements in cannulation techniques and pancreatic stenting, as well as pharmacological intervention. Pharmacotherapy has been widely studied in the prevention of PEP, but the effect in averting PEP has been inconclusive. Although pharmacological prophylaxis is appealing, attempts to find an ideal drug are incomplete. Most available data on the efficacy of pharmacological agents for PEP prophylaxis have been obtained from patients at average risk for PEP. However, recently, a randomized prospective controlled trial of rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to prevent PEP in high-risk patients was published. The results revealed that rectal indomethacin reduced the incidence of PEP significantly. Thus, rectal administration of diclofenac or indomethacin immediately before or after ERCP is used routinely to prevent PEP. However, additional studies with NSAIDs using large numbers of subjects are necessary to confirm the prophylactic effect of these drugs and to establish whether they act synergistically with other prophylactic interventions, including pancreatic stenting.

Double balloon enteroscopy and acute pancreatitis

Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a new technique, first published and introduced into clinical practice in 2001 by Yamamoto, the inventor of this outstanding method. DBE allows complete visualization, biopsy and treatment of the small bowel. Nowadays, we have some experience of this method for evaluation of the complication rate. Severe complications are described in 1%-1.7% of patients. Acute pancreatitis is a rare complication of the investigation. The incidence of acute pancreatitis after diagnostic DBE is 0.3% in most studies. More than 50 cases of acute pancreatitis have been described in the literature so far. On the contrary, hyperamylasemia after DBE seems to be a rather common condition. Association with acute pancreatitis is supposed to be possible, but not obligatory. The causal mechanism of post-DBE acute pancreatitis is uncertain, and there are several theories in the literature. The most probable cause seems to be a mechanical straining of the endoscope with over-tube on the pancreas or in the papillary area.

Pancreatits after endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography

Pancreatitis is the most common complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP); the reported incidence of this complication varies from less than 1% to 40%, but a rate of 4%-8% is reported in most prospective studies involving non-selected patients. Differences in criteria for defining pancreatitis, methods of data collection, and patient populations (i.e. number of high-risk patients included in the published series) are factors that are likely to affect the varying rates of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) can range from a minor inconvenience with one or two days of added hospitalization with full recovery to a devastating illness with pancreatic necrosis, multiorgan failure, permanent disability, and even death. Although, most episodes of PEP are mild (about 90%), a small percentage of patients (about 10%) develop moderate or severe pancreatitis. In the past, PEP was often viewed as an unpredictable and unavoidable complication, with no realistic strategy for its avoidance. New data have aided in stratification of patients into PEP risk categories and new measures have been introduced to decrease the risk of PEP. As most ERCPs are performed on an outpatient basis, the majority of patients will not develop PEP and can be discharged. Alternatively, early detection of those patients who will go on to develop PEP can guide decisions regarding hospital admission and aggressive management. In the last decade, great efforts have been addressed toward prevention of this complication. Points of emphasis have included technical measures, pharmacological prophylaxis, and patient selection. This review provides a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of published data on PEP and current suggestions for its avoidance.

Prophylactic administration of somatostatin or gabexate does not prevent pancreatitis after ERCP: an updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The prophylactic use of somatostatin or gabexate in patients undergoing ERCP is still controversial.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to update the meta-analysis on somatostatin (SS, 16 studies) or gabexate mesylate (GM, 9 studies) prophylaxis of post-ERCP pancreatitis and to run sensitivity analyses by subgrouping trials according to schedules of drug administration.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Post-ERCP acute pancreatitis, hyperamylasemia, and pain.

RESULTS

Heterogeneity was present among selected studies, which appeared eliminated when only 9 high-quality trials on SS and 5 randomized studies on GM were considered. After data were pooled from SS trials, pancreatitis occurred in 7.3% of controls versus 5.3% of treated patients, a nonsignificant effect (odds ratio [OR] = 0.73; 95% CI 0.54-1.006). The funnel plot showed asymmetry with a negative slope (P = .05). The meta-analysis produced negative results for either short- (<6 hours) or long-term (> or =12 hours) SS infusion, whereas a bolus injection proved effective (OR = 0.271; 95% CI 0.138-0.536), with a pooled absolute risk reduction of 8.2% (95% CI 4.4-12.0%). Postprocedural hyperamylasemia, but not pain, was significantly reduced (OR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.57-0.81). In controls and patients treated with GM, pancreatitis developed in 5.7% versus 4.8%, hyperamylasemia in 40.6% versus 36.9%, and pain in 1.7% versus 8.9%. All pooled ORs were nonsignificant: P = .34, .17, and .19, respectively. The meta-analysis produced no significant effect for either short-term (<6 hours) or long-term (>12 hours) GM administration.

CONCLUSION

Short- or long-term infusion of SS or GM proved ineffective in reducing post-ERCP pancreatitis and pain. The beneficial effect of SS on postprocedural hyperamylasemia seems of marginal significance. When given as a bolus injection, SS maintains its promise in this field, but additional data are needed.

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