[Principles of intensive care in severe acute pancreatitis in 2008]

The effect of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction () on modulating serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 in patients with severe acute pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (, CQCQD) on regulating serum matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODS

Thirty-five SAP patients hospitalized in West China Hospital from September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009 were randomly assigned to two groups using a computer-derived random number sequence in a ratio of 1:1, treatment group (18 patients) and the placebo control group (17 patients). The patients in the treatment group were administered with CQCQD by gastric perfusion (50 mL/2 h) and retention enema (200 mL/6 h) for 7 days. The two groups had similar baseline information. The clinical indicators, including the initial Balthazar's computed tomography (CT) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) scores on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th day, incidences and durations of complications and the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), levels of MMP-9 on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th day, were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The serum MMP-9, CRP and the APACHE II scores on the 3rd, 5th and 7th day in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum MMP-9 was positively correlated with the APACHE II score on the 1st day (r=0.430, P=0.01). The durations of acute respiratory distress syndrome (5.4±2.4 vs. 2.9±1.3), acute hepatitis (4.6±0.8 vs. 1.9±0.6) and acute heart failure (3.9±1.6 vs. 1.3±0.6, <0.05) in the control group were longer than those in the treatment group.

CONCLUSION

CQCQD could decrease the serum MMP-9 to relieve the severity of clinical symptoms and prevent the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in patients with SAP.

Effect of Chaiqinchengqi decoction on serum amyloid A in severe acute pancreatitis patients

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of Chaiqinchengqi decoction (CQCQD) on serum amyloid A (SAA) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients.

METHODS

Thirty-five participants enrolled and were randomly assigned into either a treatment condition (n = 17, treated with CQCQD) or a control condition (n = 18, treated with placebo) 24 hours following the onset of the disease. No statistical difference was observed in either group at baseline. Upon admission, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score II (APACHE II), SAA, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured, as well as on the first, 3rd and 7th day and were compared between the two groups. Organ complications, infection, operation rate, mortality and hospital stay were also compared.

RESULTS

The duration of acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute hepatitis, acute renal failure, gastrointestinal failure and blood coagulation dysfunction were shorter in the treatment group than in those in the control group (P < 0.05). The secondary infection rates and the hospital fees in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05) as well as length of hospital stay (P < 0.01). After 3 days of hospitalization, the APACHEII, score SAA levels, serum CRP and IL-6 in the treatment group was lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). SAA was positively correlated with serum CRP (R = 0.346, P = 0.042), Ranson score (R = 0.442, P = 0.008) and serum IL-6 (R = 0.359, P = 0.034). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of admission SAA predict pancreatic necrosis (PN) was 0.815 (95% CI: 0.625-0.954; P = 0.006). The best cut-off value of admission SAA was 7.85 mg/L with the sensitivity 84.6% and specificity 68.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The CQCQD can reduce the duration of organ damage through lowering the SAA in SAP patients and the SAA can early predict the PN and severity of SAP patients.

[Abdominal compartment syndrome in severe acute pancreatitis -- literature review]

The incidence of intraabdominal hypertension or abdominal compartment syndrome, as the more severe form is called, is relatively high in patients with severe acute pancreatitis, and therefore more attention is needed to the topic. If conservative treatment fails, immediate surgical decompression is indicated. The most commonly used operation is a full thickness median laparotomy, but a transversal laparotomy may also be effective. Although subcutaneous linea alba, or bilateral anterior rectus fasciotomy is safe and effective, decompressive laparotomy is indicated in failure of these methods. The open abdomen therapy is not advised due to high morbidity. Primary closure of the abdomen is preferable.

PAdvances in treatment of hyperlipidemic pancreatitis in pregnancy Hong-Mei Han, Xi-Xu Piao

Acute pancreatitis is a serious complication of pregnancy. In recent years, hypertriglyceridemia has become a common cause of acute pancreatitis, and up to 56% of pancreatitis cases during pregnancy are caused by hypertriglyceridemia. The majority of cases of hyperlipidemic pancreatitis in pregnancy belong to severe pancreatitis, and are commonly seen in the second and third trimester, easily recurrent, and dangerous. As hyperlipidemic pancreatitis in pregnancy is associated with a perinatal and maternal mortality of 20% to 50%, it seriously threatens maternal health and fetal lives. Now great efforts have been made to reduce the incidence of this complication and deaths of mothers and fetuses, and avoid the deformity of the baby. This article aims to review the progress in the treatment of hyperlipidemic pancreatitis in pregnancy.

Protective effect of intermedin on myocardial cell in a rat model of severe acute pancreatitis

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a common disease with a poor prognosis. Heart failure is one cause of SAP patient death. Intermedin (IMD) is a potent endogenous cardio-protective substance. Administration of exogenous IMD showed beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the myocardial damage in SAP and to determine the therapeutic potential of IMD for SAP. Using an SAP rat model, we examined endogenous IMD expression following SAP induction, and determined the effect of IMD on myocardial function, histological morphology, apoptosis-related gene expression, and prognosis. Our results indicated that the cardiac function and histological structure were significantly disrupted in SAP rats. Infusion of exogenous IMD significantly preserved cardiac function and ameliorated myocardial damage. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) revealed that myocardial apoptosis was extensively present in SAP rats, and IMD infusion led to increased expression of the prosurvival factor Bcl-2, but decreased pro-apoptotic factors Bax and caspase-3. In addition, IMD infusion also reversed the change of IMD receptor systems in SAP rat heart tissue. Furthermore, we found that IMD infusion greatly decreased mortality of SAP rats. In conclusion, administration of SAP produced therapeutic effects in SAP through modulating apoptotic and pro-survival gene expression, inhibiting myocardial apoptosis, preserving cardiac function, and a useful therapeutic agent for SAP, and provides us an insight for a clinical trial of IMD for treating human severe acute pancreatitis.

Surgical treatment of acute pancreatitis today

Az enyhe akut pancreatitis kezelése alapvetően konzervatív, míg súlyos esetekben a sebészi kezelésnek jelentős szerepe van. Módszer: A szerzők az utóbbi 10 évben megjelent, a műtét kérdéseit taglaló közlemények alapján elemzik a sebészi kezelés indikációit, időzítését és a műtét technikai kérdéseit. Eredmények/következtetések: A steril pancreasnecrosis csak ritkán, a szeptikus necrosis azonban műtéti indikációt képez, ha a konzervatív kezelés eredménytelen. A terápiarezisztens sokszervi elégtelenség, a súlyos hasi kompartmentszindróma és egyéb sebészi szövődmény, mint a vérzés, perforáció is műtéti beavatkozást tesz szükségessé. Pancreatitist okozó epekövesség talaján kialakult cholestasis esetén sürgős endoszkópos sphincterotomia és később cholecystectomia javasolt. Pancreasnecrosis esetén a műtét ideális időpontja a betegség kezdetétől számított 21. nap utánra tehető, mivel a „korai” műtétek szövődmény- és halálozási aránya magas. Fontos a gondos necrectomia, amelynek a retrocolicus és retroduodenalis terekre is ki kell terjednie. A nyitott has kezelésének több a szövődménye, ezért csak válogatott esetekben javasolják. A műtétet posztoperatív bursa omentalis lavage-zsal érdemes kiegészíteni. Orv. Hetil., 2010, 41, 1697–1701.