The presence of the gallbladder is associated with the severity of acute biliary pancreatitis.

CONCLUSION

The presence of the gallbladder at the onset of acute biliary pancreatitis is associated with increased severity of the disease. One possible explanation is that gallbladder contraction might induce bile reflux into the pancreatic duct during the transfer of a gallstone through the ampulla.

BACKGROUND

In clinical practice there is an impression that the presence of the gallbladder in patients with biliary pancreatitis may be associated with increased severity of the disease, compared to patients who have undergone cholecystectomy.

METHODS

To test this hypothesis, we studied 266 cases with biliary pancreatitis. Patients were divided into two groups: (A) those who had a gallbladder in situ at the onset of biliary pancreatitis (n = 234, 88%) and (B) those who had undergone previous cholecystectomy (n = 32, 12%).

RESULTS

Pancreatitis was more severe in group A than in group B, according to Glasgow criteria (> or = 3 positive, 66/210 = 31% vs 4/29 = 14%, p = 0.04); development of complications (77/234 = 33% vs 4/32 = 13%, p = 0.01); and mortality (40/234 = 17% vs 1/32 = 3%, p = 0.03). Furthermore, serum C-reactive protein levels on admission were over 150 mg/L twice as often in group A as in group B.