Background: Prospective and population-based studies on the incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) are lacking. We aimed to determine the incidence, etiology, severity, and outcome of AP.
Materials and methods: This was an observational prospective study done on 123 patients with AP during one year period in IGMC, Hospital Shimla. Detailed Clinical history was recorded and examination and lab investigations were done. Severity of AP was assessed using modified Atlanta classification.
Results: In this study, 123 patients were included- 89 men (72.35%) and 34 women (27.65%). Median age of presentation was 42 years. The most common presentation was abdominal pain followed by vomiting. The major etiological groups were as follows: alcohol 73 cases (59.3%), gallstones 40, (35.6%); postendoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography 1 (0.8%), hypertriglyceridemia 3 (2.9%), autoimmune 1 (0.8%) and idiopathic 5 cases (4%). Alcohol was the most common cause of AP and followed by gallstone. Mortality was seen in 7(5.7%) patients. Out of seven patients who died in hospital, 5(71.42%) had severe pancreatitis and 2(28.57%) patients had moderately severe pancreatitis. When compared, patients with BMI ≥25, HCT≥44% and CRP ≥150mg/l had an increased risk of developing a severe form of AP.
Conclusions: Alcohol and gallstones were the most common etiology of AP. HCT, CRP and BMI done at admission are useful predictors of severe pancreatitis.
© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.