Depression of myocardial function during acute pancreatitis.

The left ventricular function of 24 patients with acute pancreatitis was studied noninvasively using systolic time intervals. Seven of the 24 patients were reevaluated 4-40 days following the onset of acute symptoms. During the acute phase the PEP/LVET ratio was significantly prolonged to 0.470 +/- 0.031 and later declined to 0.376 +/- 0.017 (P less than 0.01). The convalescent value is similar to the low grade abnormality found in noncardiac alcoholics without pancreatitis (0.381 vs 0.312 in age-matched normals). Since serum electrolytes were normal, serum cardiac isoenzymes were not elevated and there was no evidence of volume depletion in the initial stages, the transient cardiac depression produced by acute pancreatitis may be mediated by the postulated myocardial depressant factor from the pancreas.