Ascites in acute pancreatitis: not a silent bystander.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Ascites in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) is understudied although recent literature hints at its evident role in the final outcome. This study was planned to study the characteristics of ascites in patients of AP and its effect on the disease course and outcome.

METHODS

Consecutive patients of AP were studied and patients with or without ascites were evaluated for the baseline parameters and severity assessment. Ascites was quantified and fluid analyzed for its characteristics. Intraabdominal pressure (IAP) was monitored. The various outcome parameters were compared between the two groups of patients with and without ascites.

RESULTS

Of the cohort of 213 patients, 82 (38.5%) developed ascites. Ascites group had significantly higher rates of organ failure (p = 0.001), necrosis (p=<0.001) and higher severity assessment scores. The ascites group had significantly longer hospital and ICU stay and higher ventilator days compared to the non-ascites group. Mortality was also higher in the ascites group (34.1% vs 8.45; p = 0.001). Majority of patients with ascites had moderate to gross ascites (75.6%), low serum ascites albumin gradient (87.8%) with low amylase levels (71.9%). Sub-group analysis in ascites group showed that patients with fatal outcome had higher rates of moderate to gross ascites, higher baseline IAP and lower reduction in IAP after 48 h. Moderate to gross ascites and grades of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) were significant predictors of mortality (AUC - 0.76).

CONCLUSION

AP patients with ascites have a more severe disease with poorer outcome. Higher degrees of ascites and IAH grades are significant predictors of mortality.