中药保留灌肠联合整体护理急性胰腺炎病20例临床观察

[目的]观察中药保留灌肠联合整体护理急性胰腺炎病疗效。[方法]对20例住院患者中医保留灌肠护理。整体护理:①心理护理。②一般护理。③一般观察。连续护理30d为1疗程。观测临床症状、护理满意度、不良反应。护理1疗程,判定疗效。随访50d^70d,观测复发率及并发症发生率。[结果]显效12例,有效7例,无效1例,总有效率95.00%。护理满意度满意13例,比较满意5例,不满意2例,护理满意度90.00%。[结论]中药保留灌肠联合整体护理急性胰腺炎病效果显著,值得推广。

早期内镜治疗在重症急性胆源性胰腺炎患者治疗中的作用及并发症发生率分析

分析早期内镜治疗在重症急性胆源性胰腺炎病患治疗中的作用及继发感染发生率。方法:选择我院二零一五年一月-二零二零年一月重症急性胆源性胰腺炎病患共五十例,数字表随机分2组每组二十五例。常规组的病患给予常规方法治疗,早期内镜组采取早期内镜治疗。比较两组手术耗时、WBC复常时间、AMY 复常时间、治疗前后病患应激创伤指标、继发感染发生率。结果:早期内镜组手术耗时、WBC复常时间、AMY 复常时间短于常规组,治疗后病患应激创伤指标低于常规组,继发感染发生率低于常规组,P<0.05。结论:重症急性胆源性胰腺炎病患治疗中早期内镜与常规方法效果存在差异,前者效果更好,创伤应激轻,术后继发感染少且恢复更快,可减轻机体不良应激。

Effect of admission hypertriglyceridemia on the episodes of severe acute pancreatitis

AIM： To investigate the effect of admission hypertriglyceridemia （HTG） on the episodes of severe acute pancreatitis （SAP）. METHODS： One hundred and seventy-six patients with SAP were divided into HTG group （n = 45） and control group （n = 131） according to admission triglyceride （TG） ≥ 5.65 mmol/L and 〈 5.65 retool/L, respectively. Demographics, etiology, underlying diseases, biochemical parameters, Ranson＇ s score, acute physiology and chronic heath evaluation Ⅱ （APACHE Ⅱ） score, Balthazar＇s computed tomography （CT） score, complications and mortality were compared. Correlation between admission TG and 24-h APACHE Ⅱ score was analyzed. RESULTS： SAP patients with HTG were younger （40.8 ± 9.3 years vs 52.6 ± 13.4 years, P 〈 0.05） with higher etiology rate of overeating, high-fat diet （40.0% vs 14.5%, P 〈 0.05） and alcohol abuse （46.7% vs 23.7%, P 〈 0.01）, incidence rate of hypocalcemia （86.7% vs 63.4%, P 〈 0.01） and hypoalbuminemia （84.4% vs 60.3%, P 〈 0.01）, 24-h APACHE Ⅱ score （13.6 ± 5.7 vs 10.7 ± 4.6, P 〈 0.01） and admission serum glucose （17.7 ± 7.7 vs 13.4 ± 6.1, P 〈 0.01）, complication rate of renal failure （51.1% vs 16.8%, P 〈 0.01）, shock （37.9% vs 14.5%, P 〈 0.01） and infection （37.4% vs 18.3%, P 〈 0.01） and mortality （13.1% vs 9.1%, P 〈 0.01）. Logistic regression analysis showed a positive correlation between admission TG and 24-h APACHE Ⅱ score （r = 0.509, P = 0.004）.CONCLUSION： The clinical features of SAP patients with HTG are largely consistent with previous studies, HTG aggravates the episodes of SAP.

Severe acute pancreatitis: Pathogenetic aspects and prognostic factors

Approximately 20% of patients with acute pancreatitis develop a severe disease associated with complications and high risk of mortality. The purpose of this study is to review pathogenesis and prognostic factors of severe acute pancreatitis （SAP）. An extensive medline search was undertaken with focusing on pathogenesis, complications and prognostic evaluation of SAP. Cytokines and other inflammatory markers play a major role in the pathogenesis and course of SAP and can be used as prognostic markers in its early phase. Other markers such as simple prognostic scores have been found to be as e^ective as multifactorial scoring systems （MFSS） at 48 h with the advantage of simplicity, efficacy, low cost, accuracy and early prediction of SAP. Recently, several laboratory markers including hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen （BUN）, creatinine, matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） and serum amyloid A （SAA） have been used as early predictors of severity within the first 24 h. The last few years have witnessed a tremendous progress in understanding the pathogenesis and predicting the outcome of SAP. In this review we classified the prognostic markers into predictors of severity, pancreatic necrosis （PN）, infected PN （IPN） and mortality.

Pancreatic regenerating protein (regⅠ) and regⅠreceptor mRNA are upregulated in rat pancreas after induction of acute pancreatitis

AIM： Pancreatic regenerating protein （reg Ⅰ ） stimulates pancreatic regeneration after pancreatectomy and is mitogenic to ductal and 13-cells. This suggests that reg Ⅰand its receptor may play a role in recovery after pancreatic injury. We hypothesized that reg Ⅰ and its receptor are induced in acute pancreatitis. METHODS： Acute pancreatitis was induced in male Wistar rats by retrograde injection of 3% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Pancreata and serum were collected 12, 24, and 36 hours after injection and from normal controls （4 rats/group）. Reg Ⅰ receptor mRNA, serum reg Ⅰ protein, and tissue reg Ⅰ protein levels were determined by Northern analysis, enzymelinked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）, and Western analysis, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize changes in reg Ⅰ and its receptor. RESULTS： Serum amylase levels and histology confirmed necrotizing pancreatitis in taurocholate treated rats. There was no statistically significant change in serum reg Ⅰ concentrations from controls. However, Western blot demonstrated increased tissue levels of reg Ⅰ at 24 and 36 h. This increase was localized primarily to the acinar cells and the ductal cells by immunohistochemistry. Northern blot demonstrated a significant increase in reg Ⅰ receptor mRNA expression with pancreatitis. Immunohistochemistry localized this increase to the ductal cells, islets, and acinar cells. CONCLUSION： Acute pancreatitis results in increased tissue reg Ⅰ protein levels localized to the acinar and ductal cells, and a parallel threefold induction of reg Ⅰ receptor in the ductal cells, islets, and acinar cells. These changes suggest that induction of reg Ⅰand its receptor may be important for recovery from acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis:Etiology and common pathogenesis

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas.The etiology and pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis have been intensively investigated for centuries worldwide.Many causes of acute pancreatitis have been discovered,but the pathogenetic theories are controversial.The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is gallstone impacting the distal common bile-pancreatic duct.The majority ofinvestigators accept that the main factors for acute billiary pancreatitis are pancreatic hyperstimulation and bile-pancreatic duct obstruction which increase pancreatic duct pressure and active trypsin reflux.Acute pancreatitis occurs when intracellular protective mechanisms to prevent trypsinogen activation or reduce trypsin activity are overwhelmed.However,little is known about the other acute pancreatitis.We hypothesize that acute biliary pancreatitis and other causes of acute pancreatitis possess a common pathogenesis.Pancreatic hyperstimulation and pancreatic duct obstruction increase pancreatic duct pressure,active trypsin reflux,and subsequent unregulated activation of trypsin within pancreatic acinar cells.Enzyme activation within the pancreas leads to auto-digestion of the gland and local inflammation.Once the hypothesis is confirmed,traditional therapeutic strategies against acute pancreatitis may be improved.Decompression of pancreatic duct pressure should be advocated in the treatment of acute pancreatitits which may greatly improve its outcome.

Pancreatic encephalopathy and Wernicke encephalopathy in association with acute pancreatitis: A clinical study

AIM： To investigate clinical characteristics and therapy of pancreatic encephalopathy （PE） and Wernicke encephalopathy （WE）. METHODS： In a retrospective study of 596 patients with acute pancreatitis （AP）, patients with PE were compared to those with WE in regards to history, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment and outcome. RESULTS： There were 93 patients with severe acute pancreatitis （SAP）. Encephalopathies were discovered in 10 patients （1.7%）. Six patients with PE all developed in SAP （6.5%）, and three of them died （3% of SAP, 50% of PE）. Four patients with WE developed in AP （0.7%）, and two of them died （0.3% of AP, 50% of WE）. Two patients with WE were treated with parenteral thiamine and survived. Global confusions were seen in all patients with encephalopathy. Ocular abnormalities were found. Conjugate gaze palsies were seen in 1 of 6 （16.7%） patients with PE. Of 4 patients with WE, one （25%） had conjugate gaze palsies, two （50%） had horizontal nystagmus, three （75%） had diplopia, and one （25%） had myosis. Ataxia was not seen in all patients. None of patients with WE presented with the classic clinical triad. CSF examinations for 2 patients with WE showed lightlyincreased proteins and glucose. CT and MRI of the brain had no evidence of characteristic abnormalities. CONCLUSION： PE occurs in early or reiteration stage of SAP, and WE in restoration stage of SAP/AP. Ocular abnormalities are the hallmarks of WE, and horizontal nystagmus is common. It is difficult to diagnose earlier an encephalopathy as PE or WE, as well as differentiate one from the other. Long fasting, hyperemesis and total enteral nutrition （TPN） without thiamine are main causes of thiamine deficiency in the course of pancreatitis.

Abdominal compartment syndrome in patients with severe acute pancreatitis in early stage

AIM: To study retrospectively the influence of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in patients with early acute pancreatitis (AP) (during the first week after admission) on physiological functions, and the association of the presence of IAH/ACS and outcome. METHODS: Patients (n = 74) with AP recruited in this study were divided into two groups according to intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) determined by indirect measurement using the transvesical route via Foley bladder catheter during the first week after admission. Patients (n = 44) with IAP ≥ 12 mmHg were assigned in IAH group, and the remaining patients (n = 30) with IAP < 12 mmHg in normal IAP group. For analysis of the influence of IAH/ACS on organ function and outcome, the physiological parameters and the occurrence of organ dysfunction during intensive care unit (ICU) stay were recorded, as were the incidences of pancreatic infection and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: IAH within the first week after admission was found in 44 patients (59.46%). Although the APACHE Ⅱ scores on admission and the Ranson scores within 48 h after hospitalization were elevated in IAH patients in early stage, they did not show the statistically significant differences from patients with normal IAP within a week after admission (16.18 ± 3.90 vs 15.70 ± 4.25, P = 0.616; 3.70 ± 0.93 vs 3.47 ± 0.94, P = 0.285, respectively). ACS in early AP was recorded in 20 patients (27.03%). During any 24-h period ofthe first week after admission, the recorded mean IAP correlated significantly with the Marshall score calculated at the same time interval in IAH group (r = 0.635, P < 0.001). Although ACS patients had obvious amelioration in physiological variables within 24 h after decompression, the incidences of pancreatitic infection, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and death in the patients with ACS were significantly higher than that in other patients without ACS (pancreatitic infection: 60.0% vs 7.4%, P < 0.001; septic shock: 70.0% vs 11.1%, P < 0.001; MODS: 90.0% vs 31.5%, P < 0.001; mortality: 75.0% vs 3.7%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IAH/ACS is a frequent finding in patients admitted to the ICU because of AP. Patients with IAP at approximately 10-12 mmHg and early signs of changes in physiologic variables should be seriously considered for urgent decompression to improve survival.

Nuclear factor-kappaB activation on the reactive oxygen species in acute necrotizing pancreatitic rats

AIM： To investigate the potential role of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） activation on the reactive oxygen species in rat acute necrotizing pancreatitis （ANP） and to assess the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate （PDTC, an inhibitor of NF-κB）.METHODS： Rat ANP model was established by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct. Rats were randomly assigned to three groups （10 rats each）： Control group, ANP group and PDTC group. At the 6^th of the model, the changes of the serum amylase,nitric oxide （NO）, malondialdehyde （MDA）, superoxide dismutase （SOD） and pancreatic morphological damage were observed. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide （iNOS） were observed by SP immunohistochemistry. And bhe expressions of NF-κB p65 subunit mRNA were observed by hybridization in situ.RESULTS： Serum amylase and NO level decreased significantly in ANP group as compared with PDTC administrated group [（7 170.40＋1 308.63） U/L vs（4 074.10＋1 719.78） U/L,P〈0.05], [（76.95±9.04） μmol/L vs （65.18±9.02） μmol/L,P〈0.05] respectively. MDA in both ANP and PDTC group rose significantly over that in control group [（9.88＋1.52）nmol/L, （8.60±1.41） nmol/L, vs （6.04：hl.78） nmol/L,P〈0.05], while there was no significant difference between them. SOD levels in both ANP and PDTC group underwent a significant decrease as compared with that in control[（3 214.59±297.74） NU/mL, （3 260.62±229.44） NU/mL,vs（3 977.80＋309.09） NU/mL, P〈0.05], but there was no significant difference between them. Though they were still higher bhan those in Control group, pancreas destruction was slighter in PDTC group, iNOS expression and NF-κB p65 subunit mRNA expression were lower in PDTC group as compared with ANP group.CONCLUSION： We conclude that correlation among NF-κB activation, serum amylase, reactive oxygen species level and tissue damage suggests a key role of NF-κB in the pathogenesis of ANP. Inhibition of NF-κB activation may reverse the pancreatic damage of rat ANP and the production of reactive oxygen species.

Severe acute pancreatitis in the elderly: Etiology and clinical characteristics

AIM: To investigate the etiology and clinical characteristics of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in elderly patients (≥ 60 years of age). METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively all the SAP cases treated in Xuanwu Hospital in Beijing between 2000 and 2007. RESULTS: In 169 patients with SAP, 94 were elderly and 16 died. Biliary and idiopathic etiologies were the first two causes that accounted for over 90% of SAP in the elderly. Biliary, hyperlipemic and alcoholic etiologies were the first three causes in the young. The proportion of co- morbidity of cholelithiasis, biliary infection, hypertension and coronary heart disease in the aged was significantly higher than that in their young partners. The scores of APACHE Ⅱ and Ranson were also significantly higher in the elderly except the CT score. Organ failures were more common in the elderly, but the local pancreatic complications were not different between the two groups. Mortality of the aged was correlated with the severity of SAP, multiple co-morbidity and incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). MODS was the main cause of death. CONCLUSION: The etiology of SAP in the elderly is quite different from that in the young. Biliary and unknown factors are main causes in the aged. The elderly are subject to major organ failures but there is no difference in the occurrence of local pancreatic complications between the elderly and the young. It is crucial to monitor and improve the functions of major organs so as to prevent MODS in the aged with SAP.

Pravastatin:A potential cause for acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis （AP） secondary to drugs is uncommon, with an incidence ranging from 0.3% to 2.0% of AP cases. Drug-induced AP due to statins is rare, and only 12 cases have thus far been reported. In this case report, we report a case of a 50-year-old female on pravastatin therapy for 3 d prior to developing symptoms of AP. The common etiological factors for AP were all excluded. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit secondary to respiratory distress, though she subsequently improved and was discharged 14 d after admission. Although the incidence of drug-induced AP is low, clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for it in patients with AP due to an unknown etiology. Clinicians should be aware of the association of statins with AR If a patient taking a statin develops abdominal pain, clinicians should consider the diagnosis of AP and conduct the appropriate laboratory and diagnostic evaluation if indicated.

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.

Relaxin prevents the development of severe acute pancreatitis

AIM： TO investigate the severity of acute pancreatitis （AP） is associated to the intensity of leukocyte activation, inflammatory up-regulation and microcirculatory disruption associated to ischernia-reperfusion injury. Hicrovascular integrity and inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators are key-factors in the evolution of AP. Relaxin is an insulin-like hormone that has been attributed vasorelaxant properties via the nitric oxide pathway while behaving as a glucocorticoid receptor agonist. METHODS： AP was induced by the bilio-pancreatic duct-outlet-exclusion closed-duodenal-loops model. Treatment with relaxin was done at different timepoints. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition by L-NAME and glucocorticoid receptor （GR） blockage by mifepristone was considered. AP severity was assessed by biochemical and histopathological analyses. RESULTS： Treatment with relaxin reduced serum amylase, lipase, C-reactive protein, IL-6, IL-10, hsp72, LDH and 8-isoprostane as well as pancreatic and lung myeloperoxidase. Acinar and fat necrosis, hemorrhage and neutrophil infiltrate were also decreased. ATP depletion and ADP/ATP ratio were reduced while caspases 2-3-8 and 9 activities were increased. L-NAME and mifepristone decreased the efficiency of relaxin. CONCLUSION： Relaxin resulted beneficial in the treatment of AP combining the properties of a GR agonist while preserving the microcirculation and favoring apoptosis over necrosis.

Recurrent acute pancreatitis and its relative factors

AIM: To evaluate the causes and the relative factors of recurrent acute pancreatitis.METHODS: From 1997 to 2000, acute pancreatitis relapsed in 77 of 245 acute pancreatitis patients. By reviewing the clinical treatment results and the follow-up data, we analyzed the recurrent factors of acute pancreatitis using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.RESULTS: Of the 245 acute pancreatitis patients, 77 were patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis. Of them, 56 patients relapsed two times, 19 relapsed three times, each patient relapsed three and four times. Forty-seven patients relapsed in hospital and the other 30 patients relapsed after discharge. Eighteen patients relapsed in 1 year, eight relapsed in 1-3 years, and four relapsed after 3 years. There were 48 cases of biliary pancreatitis, 3 of alcohol pancreatitis, 5 of hyperlipidemia pancreatitis, 21 of idiopathic pancreatitis. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with local complications of pancreas, obstructive jaundice and hepatic function injury were easy to recur during the treatment period of acute pancreatitis (P = 0.022＜0.05, P = 0.012＜0.05 and P = 0.002＜0.05, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that there was no single factor related to recurrence. Of the 47 patients who had recurrence in hospital, 16 had recurrence in a fast period, 31 after refeeding. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis is easy to recur even during treatment. The factors such as changes of pancreas structure and uncontrolled systemic inflammatory reaction are responsible for the recurrence of acute pancreatitis. Early refeeding increases the recurrence of acute pancreatitis. Defining the etiology is essential for reducing the recurrence of acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis associated with peroral double-balloon enteroscopy: A case report

A 58-year-old Japanese man had tarry stool and severe anemia. Neither upper nor lower gastrointestinal （GI） endoscopy showed any localized lesions. Thus, the source of his GI bleeding was suspected to be in the small intestine, and he underwent peroral double-balloon enteroscopy （DBE） using EN-450T5 （Fujinon-Toshiba ES System Co., Tokyo, Japan）. There were no lesions considered to be the source of GI bleeding. After the procedure, the patient began to experience abdominal pain. Laboratory tests revealed hyperamylasemia and abdominal computed tomography revealed an inflammation of the pancreas and the peripancreas. He was thus diagnosed to have acute pancreatitis. Conservative treatments resulted in both clinical and laboratory amelioration. He had no history of alcohol ingestion, gallstone disease or pancreatitis. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography demonstrated no structural alterations and no stones in the pancreatobiliary ductal system. As his abdominal pain started after the procedure, his acute pancreatitis was thus thought to have been related to the peroral DBE. This is the first reported case of acute pancreatitis probably associated with peroral DBE.

Is leptin related to systemic inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis?

AIM： To evaluate the relationship between leptin and systemic inflammation in acute pancreatitis. METHODS： Consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis were included. Body mass index and serum samples were obtained at admission. Leptin, TNF-α, IL-6, -8 and -10 levels were determined by ELISA. Severity was defined according to Atlanta criteria. RESULTS： Fifty-two （29 females） patients were studied. Overall body mass index was similar between mild and severe cases, although women with severe pancreatitis had lower body mass index （P = 0.04） and men showed higher body mass index （P = 0.05）. No difference was found in leptin levels regarding the severity of pancreatitis, but higher levels tended to appear in male patients with increased body mass index and severe pancreatitis （P = 0.1）. A multivariate analysis showed no association between leptin levels and severity. The strongest cytokine associated with severity was IL-6. Correlations of leptin with another cytokines only showed a trend for IL-8 （P = 0.058）. CONCLUSION： High body mass index was associated with severity only in males, which may be related to android fat distribution. Serum leptin seems not to play a role on the systemic inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis and its association with severe outcome in males might represent a marker of increased adiposity.

Application of endoscopic sphincterotomy in acute pancreatitis with fluid collection:A prospective study

AIM: To elucidate the role of endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Ninety patients with acute pancreatitis were randomly divided into two groups: EST group and control group. All the patients underwent pancreatitis routine therapy, additionally the EST group was treated with EST and endoscopic naso-bile drainage (ENBD).The time of disappearance of abdominal symptoms and signs,normalization of amylase, hospitalization and absorption of acute fluid was recorded for all patients.RESULTS: The time of disappearance of abdominal pain,normalization of blood and urine amylase and hospitalization was significantly shorter in EST group than in control group. The ratios of disappearance of fluid in mild acute pancreatitis patients was significantly higher in EST group (51.52%, 84.85%, 90.91%,93.94%) than in the control group (0%, 30.30%, 69.70%, 72.73%, P＜0.01 or P＜0.05).When the ratios of reduction of fluid in severe acute pancreatitis patients of the EST group were compared (8.33%, 58.33%, 83.33%, 91.67%) with those in the control group (0%, 8.33%, 25% and 41.67%), there were significant differences. CONCLUSION: The effect of EST+ENBD on acute pancreatitis with fluid is rather good.

Consensus of primary care in acute pancreatitis in Japan

The incidence of acute pancreatitis in Japan is increasing and ranges from 187 to 347 cases per million populations. Case fatality was 0.2% for mild to moderate, and 9.0% for severe acute pancreatitis in Japan in 2003. Experts in pancreatitis in Japan made this document focusing on the practical aspects in the early management of patients with acute pancreatitis. The correct diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and severity stratification should be made in all patients using the criteria for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and the multifactor scoring system proposed by the Research Committee of Intractable Diseases of the Pancreas as early as possible. All patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis should be managed in the hospital. Monitoring of blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate, body temperature, hourly urinary volume, and blood oxygen saturation level is essential in the management of such patients. Early vigorous intravenous hydration is of foremost importance to stabilize circulatory dynamics. Adequate pain relief with opiates is also important. In severe acute pancreatitis, prophylactic intravenous administration of antibiotics at an early stage is recommended. Administration of protease inhibitors should be initiated as soon as thediagnosis of acute pancreatitis is confirmed. A combination of enteral feeding with parenteral nutrition from early stage is recommended if there are no clear signs and symptoms of ileus and gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis should be transferred to ICU as early as possible to perform special measures such as continuous regional arterial infusion of protease inhibitors and antibiotics, and continuous hemodiafiltration. The Japanese Government covers medical care expense for severe acute pancreatitis as one of the projects of Research on Measures for Intractable Diseases.

Acute pancreatitis and amiodarone:A case report

Amiodarone, a class Ⅲ antiarrhythmic drug, is one of the most effective drugs used in the treatment of ventricular and paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. Adverse effects of amiodarone including pulmonary toxicity, hepatotoxicity, aggravation of arrhythmia, and thyroid diseases are well understood. A 66-year old woman with acute pancreatitis was admitted to our hospital with the complaint of epigastralgia radiating to both flanks for two months. Her symptoms and elevation of pancreatic enzymes did not respond to conventional medical treatment of pancreatitis for 18 d. No known causal factors for pancreatitis such as biliary tract stone, hypertriglyceridemia and alcohol consumption could be identified. Under the suspicion of amiodarone-induced acute pancreatitis, amiodarone was substituted by propafenone. Her symptoms soon alleviated and serum lipase level declined. Three months after hospital discharge, the abdominal pain did not recur. Amiodarone was approved to treat recurrent ventricular fibrillation or sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia that has been resistant to other medications since 1986. Pancreatitis is a very rare adverse effect associated with the use of amiodarone, and only four cases of amiodarone-induced pancreatitis have been reported in literature. We report a patient who developed acute pancreatitis during amiodarone therapy.

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.