Severe acute pancreatitis: the life after.

BACKGROUND: The present study reports functional and morphological changes noted over long-term follow-up in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

METHODS: Thirty patients who had completed at least 6 months after recovery were included. Fecal fat, urinary D-xylose, blood sugar, C-peptide, pancreatic changes, and recurrences were studied.

RESULTS: Etiology was gallstones (12), alcohol (10), both gallstone and alcohol (3), and idiopathic (5). Five patients were managed conservatively while 25 underwent surgery. Mean follow-up was 31.3 months. Exocrine and endocrine insufficiencies were noted in 12 (40%) and were more common in no-necrosis group compared to necrosis group (p = 0.04 and 0.28, respectively) and infected compared to sterile pancreatitis (45% vs. 25%, p = 0.55 and 50% vs. 12%, p = 0.15, respectively). Higher frequency was noted in nonvisualized, partly visualized, and dilated segment of duct. Significant proportion (8/12) had both exocrine and endocrine abnormalities and their incidence decreased as duration of follow-up increased. Urinary D-xylose excretion was abnormal in 16% and noted >1 year postrecovery. Thirty percent required >1 readmission and pain was the commonest cause.

CONCLUSIONS: Forty percent had functional abnormality; 16% had mucosal absorption abnormality while 30% required >1 readmission. Exocrine and endocrine insufficiencies were more prevalent in first year, and a significant proportion had both. A trend for higher functional insufficiency was observed in infected necrosis, complete or incomplete visualization of main pancreatic duct (MPD), dilated segment of MPD, and pseudocyst.