The impacts of infectious complications on outcomes in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective study

The role of Interleukin-22 in severe acute pancreatitis

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) begins with premature activation of enzymes, promoted by the immune system, triggering a potential systemic inflammatory response that leads to organ failure with increased mortality and a bleak prognosis. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a cytokine that may have a significant role in SAP. IL-22, a member of the IL-10 cytokine family, has garnered growing interest owing to its potential tissue-protective properties. Recently, emerging research has revealed its specific effects on pancreatic diseases, particularly SAP. This paper provides a review of the latest knowledge on the role of IL-22 and its viability as a therapeutic target in SAP.

Analysis of risk factors for acute pancreatitis complicated with pancreatic sinistral portal hypertension and construction of predictive model

Objective: Pancreatic sinistral portal hypertension (PSPH) is a common complication of acute pancreatitis (AP) and can cause massive gastrointestinal bleeding, which is one of the causes of AP-related mortality. However, there is currently no predictive model for AP concurrent with PSPH. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for AP concurrent with PSPH and use these factors to build a related predictive model. Materials and methods: We collected clinical data from 282 patients with AP. 192 patients were used as a training group and 90 patients as a validation group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for AP complicated with PSPH, and then a nomogram was established. The models are cross verification and Internal verification. The predictive ability and accuracy of the model were evaluated based on the working curve of the subjects and the calibration curve, respectively. The clinical value of the model was evaluated using decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: The univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the occurrence of PSPH with respect to sex, recurrent AP, history of hypertension, smoking history, patency of the splenic vein, pancreatic necrosis or pancreatic pseudocyst formation, the most significant site of pancreatic swelling, presence of a Dmure D polymer, MCTSI, and involvement of lipase and amylase. The logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that male sex, splenic-vein stenosis or occlusion and swelling were located in the body-tail, and MCTSI was an independent risk factor for PSPH. The nomogram and ROC curve were constructed. The area under the working curve of the subjects was 0.91, and the sensitivity and specificity were 82.5% and 89.1%, respectively. In the validation group, the C-index is 0.826. The nomogram was internally validated using 1,000 bootstrap samples, and the c-index was 0.898. The calibration curve demonstrated that the predicted probability was concordant with the observed probability, and the DCA confirmed that the model had robust clinical utility. Conclusion: Male sex, splenic-vein stenosis or occlusion, recurrent AP, and swelling are located in the body-tail, and MCTSI is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of PSPH. The predictive model developed for AP complicated with PSPH may serve toward developing preventive and therapeutic approaches for PSPH.

Microenvironment of pancreatic inflammation: calling for nanotechnology for diagnosis and treatment

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common and life-threatening digestive disorder. However, its diagnosis and treatment are still impeded by our limited understanding of its etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations, as well as by the available detection methods. Fortunately, the progress of microenvironment-targeted nanoplatforms has shown their remarkable potential to change the status quo. The pancreatic inflammatory microenvironment is typically characterized by low pH, abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enzymes, overproduction of inflammatory cells, and hypoxia, which exacerbate the pathological development of AP but also provide potential targeting sites for nanoagents to achieve early diagnosis and treatment. This review elaborates the various potential targets of the inflammatory microenvironment of AP and summarizes in detail the prospects for the development and application of functional nanomaterials for specific targets. Additionally, it presents the challenges and future trends to develop multifunctional targeted nanomaterials for the early diagnosis and effective treatment of AP, providing a valuable reference for future research.

Identification and characterization of pancreatic infections in severe and critical acute pancreatitis patients using 16S rRNA gene next generation sequencing

Objectives

This study aimed to identify the bacterial composition in the pancreatic fluid of severe and critical acute pancreatitis (SAP and CAP) patients.

Methods

A total of 78 pancreatic fluid samples were collected from 56 SAP and CAP patients and analyze using aerobic culture and 16S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing. The clinical data of the patients were obtained from the electronic medical records.

Results

Among the total 78 samples, 16S rRNA gene NGS identified a total of 660 bacterial taxa, belonging to 216 species in 123 genera. The dominant aerobic bacteria included Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterococcus faecium, while the dominant anaerobic bacteria included Bacteroides, Dialister invisus, and Olsenella uli. As compared to aerobic culturing, 95.96% (95/99) of the aerobic cultured bacteria were detected using the 16S rRNA gene NGS.

Conclusion

The pancreatic infections in SAP and CAP patients might originate not only from the gut but also from the oral cavity and airways as well as related environments. Dynamic analysis of bacterial profile and abundance showed that some bacteria with low abundance might become the main pathogenic bacteria. There were no significant differences in the bacterial diversity between SAP and CAP.

Escherichia coli infection indicates favorable outcomes in patients with infected pancreatic necrosis

Introduction

Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a severe complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis with increasing morbidity. Escherichia coli is the most frequently cultured microorganism in IPN. However, the implications of Escherichia coli infection on the outcomes of patients with IPN remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical impacts of Escherichia coli infection on IPN.

Methods

A prospective database with consecutive patients with IPN between January 2010 and April 2022 at a tertiary hospital was post-hoc analyzed. The clinical and microbiological characteristics, surgical management, and follow-up data of patients with and without Escherichia coli infection were compared.

Results

A total of 294 IPN patients were enrolled in this cohort. Compared with non-Escherichia coli infection cases (n=80, 27.2%), patients with Escherichia coli infection (n=214, 72.8%) were characterized by more frequent polymicrobial infections (77.5% vs. 65.0%, P=0.04) but a lower occurrence of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) (42.5% vs. 61.7%, P=0.003). In addition, significantly lower mortality (12.5% vs. 30.4%, p=0.002), fewer step-up surgical interventions (73.8% vs. 85.1%, P=0.025), and a lower rate of multiple organ failure (MOF) (25.0% vs. 40.2%, P=0.016) were also observed in patients with Escherichia coli infection. Multivariate analysis of mortality predictors indicated that MOF (odds ratio [OR], 6.197; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.373–16.187; P<0.001) and hemorrhage (OR, 3.485; 95% CI, 1.623–7.487; P=0.001) were independent predictors associated with higher mortality in patients with IPN. Escherichia coli infection was significantly associated with a lower mortality (OR, 0.302; 95% CI, 0.121–0.751; P= 0.01).

Conclusion

Escherichia coli infection indicates a favorable prognosis in patients with IPN, although the mechanism needs further investigation.

Systematic Review with Trial Sequential Analysis of Prophylactic Antibiotics for Acute Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Prophylactic antibiotics (PAB) are being still widely used for treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP) despite trials showing no firm evidence of efficacy. We aimed to evaluate effects of PAB for AP in a meta-analysis and the need for further research by trial sequential analysis (TSA).

METHODS

Medline, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for randomized clinical trials. Primary outcomes were all infections and mortality. Secondary outcomes comprised infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN), specific infections, organ failure, surgical interventions, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

Twenty-one trials with 1383 pts were included. PAB were received by 703 pts, while 680 were controls. Mortality was similar with RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.66-1.10). Infections were significantly reduced (RR 0.60; 95% CI 0.49-0.74), mainly due to decreased risk of sepsis (RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.25-0.73) and urinary tract infections (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.25-0.86). No significant reduction for IPN was shown (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.63-1.04). Length of hospital stay was diminished by MD -6.65 (95% CI -8.86 to -4.43) days. TSA for all infections showed that the cumulative Z score crossed both conventional and monitoring boundaries at 526 pts from a heterogeneity-corrected required information size of 1113 pts based on a 40% incidence of infections in the control group, RRR of 30%, alpha 5%, beta 20%, and heterogeneity 56%.

CONCLUSIONS

PABs decrease the rate of infections in AP, mainly due to RRR of extra-pancreatic infections, requiring no further research. No significant effect is shown on IPN and mortality, although firmer evidence is needed.

Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis: A Harbinger of Infection in Peri/Pancreatic Necrotic Collections

OBJECTIVE

Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is associated with poor outcomes. The present study looked at incidence of infection and predictors, if any, in these collections.

METHODS

This prospective observational study was done between July 2019 and October 2020. Symptomatic patients of acute necrotic collections and walled-off necrosis of pancreas requiring drainage were included. Necrotic fluid and blood were analyzed for growth of organisms.

RESULTS

Sixty-two patients were included. The mean age was 36.8 years (standard deviation, 11.5 years). Male-female ratio was 4:1. Alcohol was the most common etiology. Infection was noted in 44 of the 62 patients (70.9%) and bacteremia noted in 23 of the 62 patients (37%). Escherichia coli was the most common organism in necrotic collections and Staphylococcus was the most common organism isolated from blood culture. The patients with Modified Computed Tomography-Severity Index of 8 of higher ( P < 0.001) had significant association with IPN but not with bacteremia. However, splanchnic vein thrombosis ( P = 0.022) was significantly associated with development of IPN as well as bacteremia on both univariate and multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus were the most common organisms grown from necrotic collections and blood respectively. Presence of splanchnic vein thrombosis was a significant factor for development of IPN and bacteremia on univariate as well as multivariate analysis.

Role of Interleukin-17 in Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a leading cause of death and is commonly accompanied by systemic manifestations that are generally associated with a poor prognosis. Many cytokines contribute to pancreatic tissue damage and cause systemic injury. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a cytokine that may play a vital role in AP. Specifically, IL-17 has important effects on the immune response and causes interactions between different inflammatory mediators in the AP-related microenvironment. In this literature review, we will discuss the existing academic understanding of IL-17 and the impacts of IL-17 in different cells (especially in acinar cells and immune system cells) in AP pathogenesis. The clinical significance and potential mechanisms of IL-17 on AP deterioration are emphasized. The evidence suggests that inhibiting the IL-17 cytokine family could alleviate the pathogenic process of AP, and we highlight therapeutic strategies that directly or indirectly target IL-17 cytokines in acute pancreatitis.

Predictors of Mortality and Drug Resistance Among Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae-Infected Pancreatic Necrosis Patients

Introduction

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has emerged as a global threat to hospitalization patients. Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) leads to high risks of CRE infections with increasing mortality. Our study aims to determine the predictors related to 90-day overall mortality of CRE IPN.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the drug resistance rates and clinical characteristics of CRE IPN patients from January 1, 2016, to January 1, 2021. Independent predictors of mortality were identified via univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

During the 5-year period, 75 IPN patients suffered from 135 episodes of CRE infections with mortality up to 50.7%. CRE strains were highly resistant (> 50%) to nine of ten common antibiotics, except tigecycline (18%). The most common pathogen was carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (84 of 135). Lung was the main site of extrapancreatic infections, followed by bloodstream and biliary tract. The independent predictors of mortality were Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score > 2 (hazard ratio 3.746, 95% confidence interval 1.209–11.609, P = 0.022) and procalcitonin > 6 ng/l (hazard ratio 2.428, 95% confidence interval 1.204–4.895, P = 0.013).

Conclusion

CRE is widespread as a global challenge with a high mortality rate among IPN patients due to limited therapeutic options. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae is the leading category of CRE which requires more attention in clinical practice. High SOFA score and procalcitonin level represent two independent predictors of mortality in CRE IPN patients. Greater efforts are needed toward timely therapeutic intervention for CRE IPN.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40121-021-00489-5.

Compositional and drug-resistance profiling of pathogens in patients with severe acute pancreatitis: a retrospective study

Background

Infection is one of the important causes of death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), but the bacterial spectrum and antibiotic resistance are constantly changing. Making good use of antibiotics and controlling multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections are of vital importance in improving the cure rate of SAP. We conducted a retrospective study in the hope of providing references for antibiotic selection and control of drug-resistant bacteria.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of patients hospitalized in our hospital due to acute pancreatitis (AP) in the past 5 years. General data were classified and statistically analyzed. Subsequently, the bacterial spectrum characteristics and the data related to drug-resistant bacterial infection of 569 AP patients were analyzed. Finally, unconditional logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors of MDR infection.

Results

A total of 398 patients were enrolled in this study and the hospitalization data and associated results were analyzed. A total of 461 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected, including 223 (48.4%) gram-negative bacterial strains, 190 (41.2%) gram-positive bacterial strains and 48 (10.4%) fungal strains. The detection rates of resistance in gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains were 48.0% (107/223) and 25.3% (48/190), respectively. There were significant differences between the MDR group and the non-MDR group for the factors of precautionary antibiotic use, kinds of antibiotics used, receipt of carbapenem, tracheal intubation, hemofiltration and number of hospitalization days in the intensive care unit. Unconditional logistic regression revealed 2 risk factors for MDR bacterial infection.

Conclusions

Our results illustrate that gram-negative bacteria were the most common pathogens in SAP infection, and the proportion of gram-positive bacteria increased notably. The rate of antibiotic resistance was higher than previously reported. Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that using more types of antibiotics and the number of hospitalization days in the ICU were the risk factors associated with MDR bacterial infection.