急性胰腺炎严重程度与CT表现的相关性

目的：评价螺旋CT对急性胰腺炎严重程度的评估价值。方法：对45倒经临床证实的急性胰腺炎患者的CT表现进行评分，井分析其与临床严重程度的相关性。结果：O～3分22例，经抗炎支持等治疗后很快好转，治愈出院；4—6分12例，病情较重，病程较长，治疗过程中病情有反复，3例经外科手术治疗；7—10分11例，病情危重，有1例死亡。结论：螺旋CT能对急性胰腺炎的严重程度作出准确评价，CT表现评分与临床严重程度具有较好相关性。

Acute pancreatitis at the beginning of the 21st century: The state of the art

Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the pancreas which can lead to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality in 20% of patients. Gallstones and alcohol consumption are the most frequent causes of pancreatitis in adults. The treatment of mild acute pancreatitis is conservative and supportive; however severe episodes characterized by necrosis of the pancreatic tissue may require surgical intervention. Advanced understanding of the pathology, and increased interest in assessment of disease severity are the cornerstones of future management strategies of this complex and heterogeneous disease in the 21st century.

Induction of apoptosis by artemisinin relieving the severity of inflammation in caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis

AIM： To observe the apoptosis and oncosis of pancreatic acinar cells and secondary inflammatory reaction in pancreatic tissue from rats with acute pancreatitis （AP）, and the influences of artemisinin on them.METHODS： AP was induced by 4 intraperitoneal iojections of caerulein at 1 h intervals. To induce apoptosis, solution of artemisinin （50 mg/kg） was given intraperitoneally 1, 12, 24 and 36 h after the last caerulein injection. Histological examination of impairment of pancreatic tissue and detection of serum amylase were performed to evaluate the severity of acute pancreatitis. Apoptosis and oncosis were detected with acridine orange （AO） and ethylene dibromide （EB） staining. Caspase-3 and myeloperoxidase （MPO） activity were measured by colorimetric assay. Nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-KB） activation was detected by flow cytometry. Macrophage inflammatory protein-lα（MIP-1α） protein was measured by Western blot. Interleukin- 1β（IL-1β） mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.RESULTS： Addition of artemisinin increased the number of apoptotic cells （11.7%±1.4% vs 6.3%± 0.7%, P 〈 0.05）, while reduced the number of oncotic cells （13.0% ±2.4% vs 17.5%±2.2%, P 〈 0.05）. The activity of caspase-3 speeded up （1.52±0.21 vs 1.03±0.08, P 〈 0.05）, the pancreas pathological impairment was relieved （3.0±0.5 vs 4.0± 0.5, P 〈 0.05） and the level of serum amylase decreased （5642±721 U/dL vs 7821±653 U/dL, P 〈 0.05）. The activation of NF-1α （29%±4.1% vs 42%±5.8%）, MIP-1α protein （3.7±0.5 vs 5.8±0.7）,MPO （0.52±0.06 U/g vs 0.68±0.09 U/g）, IL-1β mRNA （1.7 ±0.3 vs 2.4 ±0.4） in the apoptosis inducing group was obviously decreased （P 〈 0.05）.CONCLUSION： Inducing apoptosis can relieve pathological impairment and inflammatory reaction in AP rats.

Pharmacological approach to acute pancreatitis

The aim of the present review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding pharmacological prevention and treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP) based on experimental animal models and clinical trials. Somatostatin (SS) and octreotide inhibit the exocrine production of pancreatic enzymes and may be useful as prophylaxis against Post Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis (PEP). The protease inhibitor Gabexate mesilate (GM) is used routinely as treatment to AP in some countries, but randomized clinical trials and a meta-analysis do not support this practice. Nitroglycerin (NGL) is a nitrogen oxide (NO) donor, which relaxes the sphincter of Oddi. Studies show conflicting results when applied prior to ERCP and a large multicenter randomized study is warranted. Steroids administered as prophylaxis against PEP has been validated without effect in several randomized trials. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) indomethacin and diclofenac have in randomized studies showed potential as prophylaxis against PEP. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with anti-inflammatory properties but two trials testing IL-10 as prophylaxis to PEP have returned conflicting results. Antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have a potential as rescue therapy but no clinical trials are currently being conducted. The antibiotics beta- lactams and quinolones reduce mortality when necrosis is present in pancreas and may also reduce incidence of infected necrosis. Evidence based pharmacological treatment of AP is limited and studies on the effect of potent anti-inflammatory drugs are warranted.

Protective effects of erythropoietin against acute lung injury in a rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis

AIM： TO investigate the effect of exogenous erythro- poietin （EPO） administration on acute lung injury （ALI） in an experimental model of sodium taurodeoxycholate- induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis （ANP）. METHODS： Forty-seven male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 7 groups： sham group （n = 5）, 3 ANP groups （n = 7 each） and 3 EPO groups （n = 7 each）. ANP was induced by retrograde infusion of 5% sodium taurodeoxycholate into the common bile duct. Rats in EPO groups received 1000 U/kg intramuscular EPO immediately after induction of ANP. Rats in ANP groups were given 1 mL normal saline instead. All animals were sacrificed at postoperative 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. Serum arnilase, IL-2, IL-6 and lung tissue malondialdehyde （MDA） were measured. Pleural effusion volume and lung/body weight （LW/BW） ratios were calculated. Tissue levels of TNF-a, IL-2 and IL-6 were screened immunohistochemically. Additionally, ox-LDL accumulation was assessed with immune-fluorescent staining. Histopathological alterations in the lungs were also scored.RESULTS： The mean pleural effusion volume, calculated LW/BW ratio, serum IL-6 and lung tissue MDA levels were significantly lower in EPO groups than in ANP groups. No statistically significant difference was observed in either serum or tissue values of IL-2 among the groups. The level of tumor necrosis factor-（~ （TNF-（~） and IL-6 and accumulation of ox-LDL were evident in the lung tissues of ANP groups when compared to EPO groups, particularly at 72 h. Histopathological evaluation confirmed the improvement in lung injury parameters a^er exogenous EPO administration, particularly at 48 h and 72 h. CONCLUSION： EPO administration leads to a significant decrease in ALI parameters by inhibiting polymorphonuclear leukocyte （PMNL） accumulation, decreasing the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in circulation, preserving microvascular endothelial cell integrity and reducing oxidative stress-associated lipid peroxidation and therefore, can be regarded as a cytoprotective agent in ANP-induced ALI.

Unusual presentations of eosinophilic gastroenteritis:Case series and review of literature

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EG) is an uncommon disease characterized by focal or diffuse eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract, and is usually associated with dyspepsia, diarrhea and peripheral eosinophilia. Diffuse gastrointestinal tract and colonic involvement are uncommon. The endoscopic appearance may vary from normal to mucosal nodularity and ulceration. Gastrointestinal obstruction is unusual and is associated with predominantly muscular disease. We present five unusual cases of EG associated with gastric outlet and duodenal obstruction. Two cases presented with acute pancreatitis and one had a history of pancreatitis. Four cases responded well to medical therapy and one had recurrent gastric outlet obstruction that required surgery. Four out of the five cases had endoscopic and histological evidence of esophagitis and two had colitis. Two patients had ascites. These cases reaffirm that EG is a disorder with protean manifestations and may involve the entire gastrointestinal tract. Gastric outlet and/or small bowel obstruction is an important though uncommon presentation of EG. It may also present as esophagitis, gastritis with polypoid lesions, ulcers or erosions, colitis and pancreatitis and may mimic malignancy.

Utility of endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatitis:A review

The close proximity of the endoscopic ultrasound probe to the pancreas results in superior spatial resolution compared to CT scan and MRI. In addition, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a minimally invasive procedure that does not share the relatively high complication rate of ERCP. Due to these advantages, EUS has evolved into an important technique to assess pancreatobiliary disease. This review will discuss the role of EUS in patients with pancreatitis. The indications can be divided into acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. In acute pancreatitis, EUS is used to determine the etiology; in suspected chronic pancreatitis it is helpful to establish the diagnosis. Lastly, this review will discuss biliary pancreatitis with suspicion for persistent choledocholithiasis.

Effect of 5-FU on modulation of disarrangement of immune-associated cytokines in experimental acute pancreatitis

AIM： To investigate the effects of 5-Fluorouracil （5-FU） on modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in acute pancreatitis and the mechanism of it in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. METHODS： Male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to 3 Groups： Group A, sham operated rats as controls （n = 7）; Group B, acute pancreatitis induced by ductal injection with 5% sodium cholate at a volume of 1.0 mL/kg without any other treatment; Group C, after the pancreatitis was induced as in Group B, the rats were injected intravenously with 5-FU 40 mg/kg. The animals in Groups B and C were killed at 2, 6 and 24 h after operation （n = 7）, and blood samples were taken for measurement of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）, interleukin-1 （IL-1）, interleukin-6 （IL-6） （by bioassay）, and interleukin-10 （IL-10）, transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） （by ELISA）. The wet weight of pancreatic tissue, serum amylase levels and white blood cells were also measured. RESULTS： Four rats in Group B and one in Group C died after pancreatitis was induced. Both pro-inflammatory cytokines （TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6） at the 2 and 6 h period and the anti-inflammatory cytokines （IL-10, TGF-β） at 24 h increased significantly （P 〈 0.05） in rats of Group B. After treatment with 5-FU, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 in serum of rats of Group C were inhibited at 2 and 6 h after operation （P 〈 0.05）, and IL-IO, TGF-13 were inhibited at 24 h compared to Group B （P 〈 0.05）. Obvious improvements in the severity of the acute pancreatitis, including the amylase levels, wet weight of pancreatic tissue and neutrophil counts, were also observed after treatment with 5-FU. CONCLUSION： 5-FU is an anti-metabolic and immunosuppressive agent which can minimize the abnormal immune o/tokine response and relieve the pathophysiological disorders associated with experimental acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis in acute viral hepatitis

AIM: To elucidate the frequency and characteristics of pancreatic involvement in the course of acute (nonfulminant) viral hepatitis. METHODS: We prospectively assessed the pancreatic involvement in patients with acute viral hepatitis who presented with severe abdomimanl pain. RESULTS: We studied 124 patients with acute viral hepatitis, of whom 24 presented with severe abdominal pain. Seven patients (5.65%) were diagnosed to have acute pancreatitis. All were young males. Five patients had pancreatitis in the first week and two in the fourth week after the onset of jaundice. The pancreatitis was mild and all had uneventful recovery from both pancreatitis and hepatitis on conservative treatment. The etiology of pancreatitis was hepatitis E virus in 4, hepatitis A virus in 2, and hepatitis B virus in 1 patient. One patient had biliary sludge along with HEV infection. The abdominal pain of remaining seventeen patients was attributed to stretching of Glisson's capsule. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis occurs in 5.65% of patients with acute viral hepatitis, it is mild and recovers with conservative management.

Study progress on mechanism of severe acute pancreatitis complicated with hepatic injury

Study on the action mechanism of inflammatory mediators generated by the severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） in multiple organ injury is a hotspot in the surgical field. In clinical practice, the main complicated organ dysfunctions are shock, respiratory failure, renal failure, encephalopathy, with the rate of hepatic diseases being closely next to them. The hepatic injury caused by SAP cannot only aggravate the state of pancreatitis, but also develop into hepatic failure and cause patient death, lts complicated pathogenic mechanism is an obstacle in clinical treatment. Among many pathogenic factors, the changes of vasoactive substances, participation of inflammatory mediators as well as OFR （oxygen free radical）, endotoxin, etc. may play important roles in its progression.

Using the polymerase chain reaction coupled with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to investigate the association between bacterial translocation and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in predicted acute severe pancreatitis

AIM: To investigate the use of PCR and DGGE to investigate the association between bacterial translocation and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in predicted severe AP.METHODS: Patients with biochemical and clinical evidence of acute pancreatitis and an APACHE Ⅱ score ≥8 were enrolled. PCR and DGGE were employed to detect bacterial translocation in blood samples collected on d1,3, and 8 after the admission. Standard microbial blood cultures were taken when there was clinical evidence of sepsis or when felt to be clinically indicated by the supervising team.RESULTS: Six patients were included. Of all the patients investigated, only one developed septic complications;the others had uneventful illness. Bacteria were detected using PCR in 4 of the 17 collected blood samples. The patient with sepsis was PCR-positive in two samples (taken on d 1 and 3), despite three negative blood cultures. Using DGGE and specific primers, the bacteria in all blood specimens which tested positive for the presence of bacterial DNA were identified as E coli.CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed thatunlike traditional microbiological techniques, PCR can detect the presence of bacteria in the blood of patients with severe AP. Therefore, this latter method in conjunction with DGGE is potentially an extremely useful tool in predicting septic morbidity and evaluating patients with the disease. Further research using increased numbers of patients, in particular those patients with necrosis and sepsis, is required to assess the reliability of PCR and DGGE in the rapid diagnosis of infection in AP.

NSAIDs for prevention of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography:Ready for prime time?

Acute pancreatitis is the most common and the most fearful complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).Prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis has therefore been of great interest to endoscopists performing ERCP procedures.So far,only pancreatic duct stenting during ERCP and rectal administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prior to or immediately after ERCP have been consistently shown to be effective for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis.This commentary focuses on a short discussion about the rates,mechanisms,and risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis,and effective means for its prevention with emphasis on the use of NSAIDs including a recent clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine by Elmunzer et al.

Malignant lymphoma of spleen presenting as acute pancreatitis: A case report

This is a case report of a patient who presented with acute pancreatitis without the common causes. A pancreatic biopsy revealed large B cell lymphoma. Spleen lymphoma with pancreatic involvement inducing acute pancreatitis, which is a rare disorder, was diagnosed. Here we also review the few similar cases reported in the literature.

Perforated appendicitis masquerading as acute pancreatitis in a morbidly obese patient

Diagnosis and treatment of common conditions in morbidly obese patients still pose a challenge to physicians and surgeons.Sometimes too much reliance is put on investigations that can lead to a misdiagnosis.This case demonstrates an obese woman admitted under the medical team with a presumed diagnosis of pneumonia, who was later found to have an acute abdomen and raised amylase,which led to an assumed diagnosis of pancreatitis.She died within 24 h of admission and post mortem confirmed the cause of death as systemic sepsis due to perforated appendicitis,with no evidence of pancreatitis.Significantly elevated serum amylase level may occur in non-pancreatitic acute abdomen.

An unreported complication of acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis constitutes 3% of all admissions with abdominal pain. There are reports of osteal fat necrosis leading to periosteal reactions and osteolytic lesions following severe pancreatitis, particularly in long bones. A 54-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with acute pancretitis, who later developed spinal discitis secondary to necrotizing pancreatitis. He was treated conservatively with antibiotics and after a month he recovered completely without any neurological deficit. This case is reported for its unusual and unreported spinal complications after acute pancreatitis.

Acute chylous peritonitis due to acute pancreatitis

We report a case of acute chylous ascites formation presenting as peritonitis(acute chylous peritonitis) in a patient suffering from acute pancreatitis due to hypertriglyceridemia and alcohol abuse.The development of chylous ascites is usually a chronic process mostly involving malignancy,trauma or surgery,and symptoms arise as a result of progressive abdominal distention.However,when accumulation of "chyle" occurs rapidly,the patient may present with signs of peritonitis.Preoperative diagnosis is difficult since the clinical picture usually suggests hollow organ perforation,appendicitis or visceral ischemia.Less than 100 cases of acute chylous peritonitis have been reported.Pancreatitis is a rare cause of chyloperitoneum and in almost all of the cases chylous ascites is discovered some days(or even weeks) after the onset of symptoms of pancreatitis.This is the second case in the literature where the patient presented with acute chylous peritonitis due to acute pancreatitis,and the presence of chyle within the abdominal cavity was discovered simultaneously with the establishment of the diagnosis of pancreatitis.The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy for suspected perforated duodenal ulcer,since,due to hypertriglyceridemia,serum amylase values appeared within the normal range.Moreover,abdominal computed tomography imaging was not diagnostic for pancreatitis.Following abdominal lavage and drainage,the patient was successfully treated with total parenteral nutrition and octreotide.