A descriptive study evaluating the circumstances of medical treatment for acute pancreatitis before publication of the new JPN guidelines based on the Japanese administrative database associated with the Diagnosis Procedure Combination system.

PURPOSE

To examine the circumstances of medical treatment for acute pancreatitis before publication of the new Japanese (JPN) guidelines using the Japanese administrative database associated with the Diagnosis Procedure Combination system.

METHODS

We collected data from 7,193 patients with acute pancreatitis in 2008 and examined the recommended medical treatment in the new JPN guidelines [from recommendations B (considered to be recommended treatments) to D (considered to be unacceptable treatments)] according to severity of acute pancreatitis. Patients were divided into two groups: mild cases (n = 6,520) and severe cases (n = 673).

RESULTS

Enteral nutrition for severe cases without ileus (recommendation B) was uncommon (13.5%). In contrast, prophylactic antibiotics were administered in a large number (80.4%) of mild cases without acute cholangitis (recommendation D). Furthermore, administration of H(2) receptor antagonists, except for cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (recommendation D), were performed in many patients with both mild and severe cases (66.8 vs. 78.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated a discrepancy between actual medical treatment performed and the new JPN guidelines with regard to some of the medical treatments. Future studies are required after publication of the new JPN guidelines to determine how they affect medical treatments.