T K Maatman1, J A Westfall-Snyder2, E P Ceppa1, M G House1, A Nakeeb1, T K Nguyen1, C M Schmidt1, N J Zyromski3. 1. Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, 545 Barnhill Drive EH 519, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. 2. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. 3. Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, 545 Barnhill Drive EH 519, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. nzyromsk@iupui.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) is caused by hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in up to 10% of patients. Clinical experience suggests that HTG-NP is associated with increased clinical severity; objective evidence is limited and has not been specifically studied in NP. AIM: The aim of this study was to critically evaluate outcomes in HTG-NP. We hypothesized that patients with HTG-NP had significantly increased severity, morbidity, and mortality compared to patients with NP from other etiologies. METHODS: A case-control study of all NP patients treated at a single institution between 2005 and 2018 was performed. Diagnostic criteria of HTG-NP included a serum triglyceride level > 1000 mg/dL and the absence of another specific pancreatitis etiology. To control for differences in age, sex, and comorbidities, non-HTG and HTG patients were matched at a 4:1 ratio using propensity scores. Outcomes were compared between non-HTG and HTG patients. RESULTS: A total of 676 NP patients were treated during the study period. The incidence of HTG-NP was 5.8% (n = 39). The mean peak triglyceride level at diagnosis was 2923 mg/dL (SEM, 417 mg/dL). After propensity matching, no differences were found between non-HTG and HTG patients in CT severity index, degree of glandular necrosis, organ failure, infected necrosis, necrosis intervention, index admission LOS, readmission, total hospital LOS, or disease duration (P = NS). Mortality was similar in non-HTG-NP (7.1%) and HTG-NP (7.7%), P = 1.0. CONCLUSION: In this large, single-institution series, necrotizing pancreatitis caused by hypertriglyceridemia had similar disease severity, morbidity, and mortality as necrotizing pancreatitis caused by other etiologies.
BACKGROUND: Necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) is caused by hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in up to 10% of patients. Clinical experience suggests that HTG-NP is associated with increased clinical severity; objective evidence is limited and has not been specifically studied in NP. AIM: The aim of this study was to critically evaluate outcomes in HTG-NP. We hypothesized that patients with HTG-NP had significantly increased severity, morbidity, and mortality compared to patients with NP from other etiologies. METHODS: A case-control study of all NP patients treated at a single institution between 2005 and 2018 was performed. Diagnostic criteria of HTG-NP included a serum triglyceride level > 1000 mg/dL and the absence of another specific pancreatitis etiology. To control for differences in age, sex, and comorbidities, non-HTG and HTG patients were matched at a 4:1 ratio using propensity scores. Outcomes were compared between non-HTG and HTG patients. RESULTS: A total of 676 NP patients were treated during the study period. The incidence of HTG-NP was 5.8% (n = 39). The mean peak triglyceride level at diagnosis was 2923 mg/dL (SEM, 417 mg/dL). After propensity matching, no differences were found between non-HTG and HTG patients in CT severity index, degree of glandular necrosis, organ failure, infected necrosis, necrosis intervention, index admission LOS, readmission, total hospital LOS, or disease duration (P = NS). Mortality was similar in non-HTG-NP (7.1%) and HTG-NP (7.7%), P = 1.0. CONCLUSION: In this large, single-institution series, necrotizing pancreatitis caused by hypertriglyceridemia had similar disease severity, morbidity, and mortality as necrotizing pancreatitis caused by other etiologies.