Acute Pancreatitis

Acute Pancreatitis is a group of reversible lesions characterized by inflammation of pancreas ranging in severity from edema and fat necrosis to parenchymal necrosis with severe hemorrhage. Clinically, acute pancreatitis is a common and important cause of acute upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Laboratory findings of marked elevations of serum amylase and lipase help to differentiate pancreatitis from other entities causing these symptoms. The severity of inflammation varies and the prognosis ranges from mild, self-limited illness lasting 1-2 days to death from pancreatic necrosis, hemorrhage, or sepsis.

Acute Pancreatitis has many causes. In all cases there is escape of activated proteolytic enzymes from the ducts, leading to tissue injury, inflammation, and necrosis and in some cases infection. Approximately 80% of the common causes of Acute Pancreatitis in western countries are associated with biliary tract disease or alcoholism. Meanwhile in eastern, the common cause of Acute Pancreatitis is Gallstones.

Alcohol or its metabolites may have a direct toxic effect on pancreatic acinar cells, leading to intracellular trypsin activation by lysosomal enzymes, leading to retention of hydrolytic enzymes in pancreatic duct and acini. As for biliary tract disease, lodged of gallstones at ampulla of Vater cause obstruction at the common bile duct and main pancreatic duct. This would cause the reflux of bile or duodenal contents into pancreatic duct and leads to parenchymal injury. Acute Pancreatitis associated with biliary tract disease is more common in women because gallstones are more common in women.

Regional studies in the UK indicate that the incidence of acute pancreatitis increased from the 1940s to the 1990s, while case fatality fell until the 1970s but has leveled-off since. For unknown reasons, the incidence of acute pancreatitis has increased ten-fold in the past few decades.[1] In January 1994 to July 1999, 133 patients with Acute Pancreatitis admitted to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh. They consisted of 77 males and 56 females with a mean age of 43.5 years[2].

As for me, i do believe in controlling your diet is the most essential things to prevent Acute Pancreatitis. High intake of fats and consumption of alcohol are one of the risk factor to develop this disease. So keep up a healthy diet guys and amalkan 5M..

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[1] Roberts SE, Williams JG, Meddings D, Goldacre MJ (2008) ‘Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics’ Incidence and case fatality for acute pancreatitis in England: geographical variation, social deprivation, alcohol consumption and aetiology--a record linkage study, 28(7), page 931-41

[2] P Kandasami, Hanafiah Harunarashid, Harjit Kaur (2002) ‘Singapore Medical Journal’ Acute Pancreatitis In Multi-ethnic population, 43 (6), page 248 - 8