Objective: The aim of our study was to elucidate the clinical characteristics of alcoholic-hyperlipidemic etiologically complex acute pancreatitis.
Patients and methods: We reviewed complete data from 233 patients with acute pancreatitis treated in our hospital during the period January 2017-January 2022. They were divided into three groups according to etiology: alcoholic acute pancreatitis (AAP), hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP), and alcoholic-hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (AHAP). General clinical data, co-morbidities, laboratory results, imaging data, and disease severity were analyzed and compared between groups.
Results: The proportion of male individuals in the AHAP group was significantly higher than that in the HLAP group (p<0.001). Age of onset was lower and the number of cases with antibiotic use was higher in the AHAP group than in the AAP group (p<0.05). Additionally, the average alcohol intake each time and weekly alcohol intake were also higher in the AHAP group than in the AAP group (p<0.05). Comparison of disease severity (moderate and severe acute pancreatitis, severe acute pancreatitis, and modified computed tomography severity index score) revealed the disease condition to be more severe in the AHAP group than in the AAP and HLAP groups (p<0.05). Accordingly, patients in the AHAP group had longer hospital stays than those in the other two groups (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in alcohol consumption, severity, or length of hospital stay in the AHAP group (p>0.05).
Conclusions: The clinical characteristics of patients in the AHAP, AAP and HLAP groups were different, and the patients in the AHAP group were more likely to have a moderate to severe disease course, with longer hospital stay. As a new AP classification concept, AHAP would offer high significance for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.