ObjectiveThe gut microbiota are the main source of infections in necrotising pancreatitis. We investigated the effect of disruption of the intestinal microbiota by a Western-type diet on mortality ...and bacterial dissemination in necrotising pancreatitis and its reversal by butyrate supplementation.DesignC57BL/6 mice were fed either standard chow or a Western-type diet for 4 weeks and were then subjected to taurocholate-induced necrotising pancreatitis. Blood and pancreas were collected for bacteriology and immune analysis. The cecum microbiota composition of mice was analysed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and cecal content metabolites were analysed by targeted (ie, butyrate) and untargeted metabolomics. Prevention of necrotising pancreatitis in this model was compared between faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from healthy mice, antibiotic decontamination against Gram-negative bacteria and oral or systemic butyrate administration. Additionally, the faecal microbiota of patients with pancreatitis and healthy subjects were analysed.ResultsMortality, systemic inflammation and bacterial dissemination were increased in mice fed Western diet and their gut microbiota were characterised by a loss of diversity, a bloom of Escherichia coli and an altered metabolic profile with butyrate depletion. While antibiotic decontamination decreased mortality, Gram-positive dissemination was increased. Both oral and systemic butyrate supplementation decreased mortality, bacterial dissemination, and reversed the microbiota alterations. Paradoxically, mortality and bacterial dissemination were increased with FMT administration. Finally, patients with acute pancreatitis demonstrated an increase in Proteobacteria and a decrease of butyrate producers compared with healthy subjects.ConclusionButyrate depletion and its repletion appear to play a central role in disease progression towards necrotising pancreatitis.
The aim of the study was to assess the effect of timing of preoperative surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) on surgical site infection (SSI) and compare the different timing intervals.The benefit ...of routine use of SAP prior to surgery has long been recognized. However, the optimal timing has not been defined. For the purpose of developing recommendations for the World Health Organization guideline for SSI prevention, a systematic review and meta-analysis of all relevant evidence was conducted.Major medical databases were searched from 1990 to 2016. The primary outcome was SSI after preoperative-SAP comparing different timing intervals. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled for each comparison with a random effects model.Fourteen papers with 54,552 patients were included in this review. In a quantitative analysis, there was no significant difference when SAP was administered 120-60 minutes prior to incision compared to administration 60-0 minutes prior to incision. Studies investigating different timing intervals within the last 60 minutes time frame reported contradictive results. The risk of SSI almost doubled when SAP was administered after first incision (OR:1.89; 95%CI:1.05-3.40) and was 5 times higher when administered more than 120 minutes prior to incision (OR5.26; 95%CI:3.29-8.39).Administration of antibiotic prophylaxis more than 120 minutes before incision or after incision is associated a higher risk of surgical site infections than administration less than 120 minutes before incision. Within this 120-minute time frame prior to incision, no differential effects could be identified. The broadly accepted recommendation to administer prophylaxis within a 60-minute time frame prior to incision could not be substantiated.
Economic evaluation of early surgery compared to the endoscopy-first approach in CP.
In patients with painful CP and a dilated main pancreatic duct, early surgery, as compared with an endoscopy-first ...approach, leads to more pain reduction with fewer interventions. However, it is unknown if early surgery is more cost-effective than the endoscopy-first approach.
The multicenter Dutch ESCAPE trial randomized patients with CP and a dilated main pancreatic duct between early surgery (surgery within 6 weeks) or the endoscopy-first approach in 30 centers (April 2011-September 2016). Healthcare utilization was prospectively recorded up to 18 months after randomization. Unit costs of resources were determined, and cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses were performed from societal and healthcare perspectives. Primary outcomes were the costs per unit decrease on the Izbicki pain score and per gained quality-adjusted life-year.
In total, 88 patients were included in the analysis, with 44 patients randomized to each group. Total costs were lower in the early surgery group but did not reach statistical significance (mean difference €-4,815 (95% bias-corrected and accelerated confidence interval €-13,113 to €3411; P = 0.25). Early surgery had a probability percentage of 88.4% of being more cost-effective than the endoscopy-first approach at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €0 per day per unit decrease on the Izbicki pain score. The probability percentage per additional gained quality-adjusted life-year was 75.7% at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €50,000.
In patients with painful CP and a dilated main pancreatic duct, early surgery was more cost-effective than the endoscopy-first approach.
Care bundles are used widely to prevent surgical-site infections (SSIs). Recent systematic reviews suggested larger effects from bundles with more interventions. These reviews were largely based on ...uncontrolled before-after studies and did not consider their biases. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of care bundles to prevent SSIs and explore characteristics of effective care bundles.
A systematic review, reanalysis, and meta-analysis of available evidence were undertaken. RCTs, controlled before-after studies, and uncontrolled before-after studies with sufficient data for reanalysis as interrupted time series studies (ITS) were eligible. Studies investigating the use of a care bundle, with at least one intraoperative intervention, compared with standard care were included.
Four RCTs, 1 controlled before-after study, and 13 ITS were included. Pooled data from RCTs were heterogeneous. Meta-analysis of ITS resulted in a level change of -1.16 (95 per cent c.i.-1.78 to -0.53), indicating a reduction in SSI. The effect was larger when the care bundle comprised a higher proportion of evidence-based interventions. Meta-regression analyses did not show statistically significant associations between effect estimates and number of interventions, number of evidence-based interventions, or proportion of evidence-based interventions.
Meta-analysis of ITS indicated that perioperative care bundles prevent SSI. This effect is inconsistent across RCTs. Larger bundles were not associated with a larger effect, but the effect may be larger if the care bundle contains a high proportion of evidence-based interventions. No strong evidence for characteristics of effective care bundles was identified.
This study was a head-to-head comparison of graded compression ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) in helping diagnose acute appendicitis with an emphasis on diagnostic value at ...different disease prevalences, commonly occurring in various hospital settings.
MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched from January 1966 to February 2006. Prospective trials were selected if they (a) compared graded compression US and CT in the same patient population; (b) included more than 10 patients, otherwise, the study was considered a case report; (c) evaluated mainly adults or adolescents; (d) used surgery and/or clinical follow-up as reference standard; and (e) reported data to calculate 2 x 2 contingency tables for graded compression US and CT. Estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) for US and CT were calculated. Posttest probabilities after CT and US were calculated for various clinically relevant prevalences.
Six studies were included, evaluating 671 patients (mean age range, 26-38 years); prevalence of acute appendicitis was 50% (range, 13%-77%). Positive LR was 9.29 (95% confidence interval CI: 6.9, 12.6) for CT and 4.50 (95% CI: 3.0, 6.7; P = .011) for US, yielding posttest probabilities for positive tests of 90% and 82%, respectively. Negative LR was 0.10 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.17) for CT and 0.27 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.43) for US (P = .013), resulting in posttest probabilities of 9% and 21%, respectively. Posttest probabilities for positive tests were markedly decreased at lower prevalences.
In head-to-head comparison studies of diagnostic imaging, CT had a better test performance than did graded compression US in diagnosing appendicitis. Ignoring the relationship between prevalence (pretest probability) and diagnostic value may lead to an inaccurate estimation of diagnostic performance.
Diagnostic practice for acute abdominal pain at the Emergency Department varies widely and is mostly based on doctor's preferences. We aimed at developing an evidence-based guideline for the ...diagnostic pathway of patients with abdominal pain of non-traumatic origin.
All available international literature on patients with acute abdominal pain was identified and graded according to their methodological quality by members of the multidisciplinary steering group. A guideline was synthetized, providing evidence-based recommendations together with considerations based on expertise of group members, patient preferences, costs, availability of facilities, and organizational aspects.
Uniform terminology is needed in patients with acute abdominal pain to avoid difficulty in interpretation and ease comparison of findings between studies. We propose the use of the following definition for acute abdominal pain: pain of nontraumatic origin with a maximum duration of 5 days. Clinical diagnosis: Clinical evaluation is advised to differentiate between urgent and nonurgent causes. The diagnostic accuracy of clinical assessment is insufficient to identify the correct diagnosis but can discriminate between urgent and nonurgent causes. Patients suspected of nonurgent diagnoses can safely be reevaluated the next day. Based on current literature, no conclusions can be drawn on the differences in accuracy between residents and specialists. No conclusions can be drawn on the influence of a gynecological consultation. In patients suspected of an urgent condition, additional imaging is justified. CRP and WBC count alone are insufficient to discriminate urgent from nonurgent diagnoses. Diagnostic imaging: There is no place for conventional radiography in the work-up of patients with acute abdominal pain due to the lack of added value on top of clinical assessment. Computed tomography leads to the highest sensitivity and specificity in patients with acute abdominal pain. Positive predictive value of ultrasound is comparable with CT and therefore preferred as the first imaging modality due to the downsides of computed tomography; negative or inconclusive ultrasound is followed by CT. Based on current literature, no conclusions can be drawn on the added value of a diagnostic laparoscopy in the work-up of patients with acute abdominal pain. Antibiotic treatment should be started within the first hour after recognition of sepsis. Administration of opioids (analgesics) decreases the intensity of the pain and does not affect the accuracy of physical examination.
Background Diagnosing infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) may be challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the added value of routine fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in addition to ...clinical and imaging signs of infection in patients who underwent intervention for suspected INP. Methods We conducted a post hoc analysis of 208 consecutive patients from a prospective, multicenter database who underwent intervention because of suspected INP. In retrospect, 3 groups were constructed based on the patients preoperative characteristics: Clinical, imaging, and FNA. Patients in the clinical group had clinical signs of infection but no gas on preoperative computed tomography (CT) and no FNA performed before intervention. Patients in the imaging group had gas bubbles on the preoperative CT but no was FNA performed, whereas patients in the FNA group had a positive FNA before intervention. The reference standard for infection was the culture taken during the first intervention (either catheter drainage or necrosectomy). Results The initial intervention for INP was performed a median of 27 days (interquartile range, 20–39) after admission without difference between the 3 groups ( P = .15). Infection was confirmed in 80% of 92 patients of the clinical group, in 94% of 88 patients of the imaging group, and in 86% of 28 patients of the FNA group ( P = .07). Mortality was 19% and was not different between groups ( P = .39). Conclusion INP can generally be diagnosed based on clinical or imaging signs of infection. FNA may be useful in patients with unclear clinical signs and no imaging signs of INP.
In this randomized trial of 39 patients with chronic pancreatitis and a distal obstruction of the pancreatic duct, surgical drainage was more effective at reducing pain than was endoscopic drainage. ...Complete or partial relief of pain was achieved in 32% of patients assigned to endoscopic treatment and 75% of those assigned to surgery.
In patients with chronic pancreatitis and a distal obstruction of the pancreatic duct, surgical drainage was more effective at reducing pain than was endoscopic drainage.
In patients with chronic pancreatitis, pain is the predominant symptom and remains a therapeutic challenge. Pancreatic-duct obstruction is considered an important etiologic factor; therefore, ductal decompression is advocated for patients with pain and a markedly dilated duct.
Both endoscopic and surgical drainage are treatment options. Surgical drainage is accomplished by longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy
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and has a rate of complications of 6 to 30%, a mortality rate of 0 to 2%, and a success rate in achieving long-term pain relief of 65 to 85%.
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–
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Endoscopic drainage involves sphincterotomy, dilation of strictures, and removal of stones and has a success rate of . . .
Acute pancreatitis is complicated by local and systemic complications in 20–30% of the patients. Accurate prediction of severity may be important for clinical decision making. Our aim is to identify ...and compare the accuracy of laboratory biomarkers that predict severity and complications in adult patients.
Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library (1993 to August 2020) were searched for studies with an unselected population of patients with acute pancreatitis, that contains accuracy data for ≥1 laboratory biomarker(s) and/or APACHE-II score for the prediction of a patient outcomes of interest during the first 48 h of admission. The primary outcome is moderate severe or severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP/SAP). Secondary outcomes are severe acute pancreatitis, pancreatic necrosis and organ failure. Risk of bias was assed using QUADAS-2. Biomarkers extracted from ≥3 unique sources, were analyzed using hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) and bivariate model analysis.
In total, 181 studies were included in the qualitative analysis reporting on 29 biomarkers. For the primary outcome at admission, summary sensitivities and specificities were, respectively, 87% (95% CI 69–95%) and 88% (95% CI 80–93%) for IL-6 at a threshold of >50 pg/ml, 72% (95% CI 64–79%) and 76% (95% CI 67–84%) for an APACHE-II score of ≥8, and 53% (95% CI 35–71%) and 82% (95% CI 74–88%) for CRP >150 mg/l. HSROC curve analysis confirmed these results.
This study indicates superiority of IL-6 for the early prediction of MSAP/SAP and may be used for to guide clinical decision making.
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