Lara, Luis F.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive fibroinflammatory disorder lacking therapies and biomarkers. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a proinflammatory cytokine elevated during inflammation that binds fatty acids (FAs) such as linoleic acid. We hypothesized that systemic NGAL could serve as a biomarker for CP and, with FAs, provide insights into inflammatory and metabolic alterations. METHODS: NGAL was measured by immunoassay, and FA composition was measured by gas chromatography in plasma (n = 171) from a multicenter study, including controls (n = 50), acute and recurrent acute pancreatitis (AP/RAP) (n = 71), and CP (n = 50). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from controls (n = 16), AP/RAP (n = 17), and CP (n = 15) were measured by cytometry by time-of-flight. RESULTS: Plasma NGAL was elevated in subjects with CP compared with controls (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.777) or AP/RAP (AUC = 0.754) in univariate and multivariate analyses with sex, age, body mass index, and smoking (control AUC = 0.874; AP/RAP AUC = 0.819). NGAL was elevated in CP and diabetes compared with CP without diabetes ( P < 0.001). NGAL + PBMC populations distinguished CP from controls (AUC = 0.950) or AP/RAP (AUC = 0.941). Linoleic acid was lower, whereas dihomo-γ-linolenic and adrenic acids were elevated in CP ( P < 0.05). Linoleic acid was elevated in CP with diabetes compared with CP subjects without diabetes ( P = 0.0471). DISCUSSION: Elevated plasma NGAL and differences in NGAL + PBMCs indicate an immune response shift that may serve as biomarkers of CP. The potential interaction of FAs and NGAL levels provide insights into the metabolic pathophysiology and improve diagnostic classification of CP.

Objectives We describe the methodology of Post–Acute Pancreatitis Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency (PAPPEI), a prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study. The objectives of PAPPEI are to estimate the incidence rate of post–acute pancreatitis (AP) pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI), define factors that determine the development of post-AP PEI, and evaluate the impact of post-AP PEI on nutritional status and quality of life. Methods Enrollment started in June 2017 in 3 expert academic centers in the United States. Data were collected during hospitalization (baseline) at 3 and 12 months after enrollment. Fecal elastase-1 was used to assess PEI. Study questionnaires are completed by patient interview and review of electronic medical records. Blood is obtained to evaluate vitamin deficiencies and nutritional markers. Results As of August 2020, 77 subjects have completed the baseline evaluation. The median age was 58 years (interquartile range, 39–67 years), 38% were male, and 90% were white. The etiology of AP was biliary in 39 subjects (51%), and 51 subjects (66%) had mild AP. Three- and 12-month follow-up data have been collected in 29 and 13 subjects, respectively. Conclusion The PAPPEI study aims to expand our understanding of post-AP PEI incidence, including its impact on nutritional status and quality of life.

INTRODUCTION: The association of Acute Pancreatitis and Celiac Disease (CD) has been sparingly reported in the literature. CD is known to affect approximately 1% of the western population. A Swedish national database study reported a 3-fold increased risk of developing pancreatitis in patients with CD. The exact mechanism of this is unknown, but it could be related to an untreated celiac disease affecting the major papilla causing stenosis or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that has been reported previously. This study aimed to look at the association between acute pancreatitis and celiac disease. We also looked at whether there was any association between chronic pancreatitis and celiac disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study using the 2013 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. We included all patients who were hospitalized with either acute pancreatitis (ICD Code 577.0) or Chronic Pancreatitis (577.1). Patients who had diagnoses of both acute and chronic pancreatitis were considered to have acute on chronic pancreatitis and combined with the chronic pancreatitis group. We then analyzed both groups for the presence or absence of celiac disease. Continuous variables were compared using t-tests, and categorical variables were compared using Rao-Scott chi-square tests. All analyses were performed using SAS Survey Procedures (version 9.4, The SAS Institute, Cary, NC). RESULTS: We analyzed more than 35 million hospitalizations in 2013 out of which 378,715 had a primary discharge diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and 155,130 had a primary discharge diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. The mean age in the acute pancreatitis group was 53.3 yrs and in chronic pancreatitis group was 51.7 yrs. There were more males in chronic pancreatitis group (55.1%) than females (44.9%). There was significantly higher prevalence of acute pancreatitis in CD (2.3%) than non-CD patients (1.2%) (Figure 1, P = 0.001). Similarly, there was higher prevalence of chronic pancreatitis (1.2%) than the control group (0.43%) (Figure 1, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a higher prevalence of acute pancreatitis in patients with CD. Patients were also found to have much higher prevalence of chronic pancreatitis in CD. This could be related to recurrent acute pancreatitis episodes in CD patients. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.

INTRODUCTION: The average incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) in patients with a history of solid organ transplant ranges from 2 to 8%. Patients with a history of bone marrow transplant are reported to have an incidence of 4%. Presentations include “chemical” pancreatitis with enzymes elevation only and clinical pancreatitis according to the revised Atlanta criteria. A few previous studies have shown that multi-organ failure and death are frequent complications of AP in transplanted patients. Most of the studies individualize their findings based on a specific organ transplanted (such as kidney or heart or liver, etc.) The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with acute pancreatitis with a history of any solid organ or bone marrow transplant using a national database. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2014. We included all patients with acute pancreatitis (ICD 9 Code: 577.0). Next, we divided the AP patients into two groups - one with history of a transplant and those without a history of transplant. We compared the outcomes of both groups. Both univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the risk factors and outcomes of patients with acute pancreatitis in post transplant patients. RESULTS: We analyzed more than 35 million US hospitalizations in 2014 out of which 279,145 were acute pancreatitis related hospitalizations. There were 1,265 hospitalizations for acute pancreatitis in previously transplanted patients, an incidence of 4.53%. The mortality rate of AP was similar in non-transplanted patients (0.66%) than in transplanted patients (0.4%). The mean length of stay (4.62 days vs. 4.61 days) and mean total charges ($35,723 vs. $31,202) were similar in acute pancreatitis for transplant and non-transplant patients. Multivariable regression analysis showed that multiorgan dysfunction risk among AP patients was significantly higher if they had a history of transplant (OR of 2.27; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that AP generally has similar outcomes in transplant and non-transplant patients even with a higher risk of multiorgan failure. More data is needed to determine if this holds true for subjects who develop AP in the immediate post transplant period.