Skip to main content
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1985 Jul;26(7):724–729. doi: 10.1136/gut.26.7.724

Acute pancreatitis: a lethal disease of increasing incidence.

A P Corfield, M J Cooper, R C Williamson
PMCID: PMC1432998  PMID: 4018637

Abstract

Between 1968 and 1979 650 patients in the Bristol clinical area suffered 737 attacks of acute pancreatitis. Sex distribution was approximately equal and mean age was 60 years. Comparison with the previous decade shows an increase in mean annual incidence of first attacks from 53.8 to 73.0 cases per million population. Case mortality was unchanged at 20%. In no less than 35% of fatal cases the diagnosis was first made at necropsy. Gall stones were detected in 50% of first attacks, predominantly in women. The proportion of alcoholics (8% overall) increased three-fold during the period of the study. In 23% of cases no aetiological cause was identified. Eighty patients suffered 99 recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis, with a mortality rate (12%) that was not significantly lower than that of the first attack. Neglected gall stones accounted for 51% of these subsequent attacks.

Full text

PDF
724

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Acosta J. M., Pellegrini C. A., Skinner D. B. Etiology and pathogenesis of acute biliary pancreatitis. Surgery. 1980 Jul;88(1):118–125. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bourke J. B., Giggs J. A., Ebdon D. S. Variations in the incidence and the spatial distribution of patients with primary acute pancreatitis in Nottingham 1969-76. Gut. 1979 May;20(5):366–371. doi: 10.1136/gut.20.5.366. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bourke J. B. Incidence and mortality of acute pancreatitis. Br Med J. 1977 Dec 24;2(6103):1668–1669. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6103.1668-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cooper M. J., Williamson R. C., Pollock A. V. The role of peritoneal lavage in the prediction and treatment of severe acute pancreatitis. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1982 Nov;64(6):422–427. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cotton P. B. ERCP. Gut. 1977 Apr;18(4):316–341. doi: 10.1136/gut.18.4.316. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gillespie W. J. Observations on acute pancreatitis. A retrospective clinical study. Br J Surg. 1973 Jan;60(1):63–65. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800600118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Imrie C. W., Whyte A. S. A prospective study of acute pancreatitis. Br J Surg. 1975 Jun;62(6):490–494. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800620615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jacobs M. L., Daggett W. M., Civette J. M., Vasu M. A., Lawson D. W., Warshaw A. L., Nardi G. L., Bartlett M. K. Acute pancreatitis: analysis of factors influencing survival. Ann Surg. 1977 Jan;185(1):43–51. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197701000-00007. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. MARKS I. N., BANK S. THE AETIOLOGY, CLINICAL FEATURES AND DIAGNOSIS OF PANCREATITIS IN THE SOUTH WESTERN CAPE; A REVIEW OF 243 CASES. S Afr Med J. 1963 Oct 19;37:1039–1053. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. McCutcheon A. D., Race D. Experimental Pancreatitis A Possible Etiology of Postoperative Pancreatitis. Ann Surg. 1962 Apr;155(4):523–531. doi: 10.1097/00000658-196204000-00007. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McKay A. J., O'Neill J., Imrie C. W. Pancreatitis, pregnancy and gallstones. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1980 Jan;87(1):47–50. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1980.tb04425.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. O'Sullivan J. N., Nobrega F. T., Morlock C. G., Brown A. L., Jr, Bartholomew L. G. Acute and chronic pancreatitis in Rochester, Minnesota, 1940 to 1969. Gastroenterology. 1972 Mar;62(3):373–379. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ranson J. H. Acute pancreatitis--where are we? Surg Clin North Am. 1981 Feb;61(1):55–70. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(16)42332-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ranson J. H., Spencer F. C. The role of peritoneal lavage in severe acute pancreatitis. Ann Surg. 1978 May;187(5):565–575. doi: 10.1097/00000658-197805000-00016. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Read G., Braganza J. M., Howat H. T. Pancreatitis--a retrospective study. Gut. 1976 Dec;17(12):945–952. doi: 10.1136/gut.17.12.945. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Savides E. P., Hoffbrand B. I. Hypothermia, thrombosis, and acute pancreatitis. Br Med J. 1974 Mar 30;1(5908):614–614. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5908.614. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Steinberg W. M., Lewis J. H. Steroid-induced pancreatitis: does it really exist? Gastroenterology. 1981 Oct;81(4):799–808. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Trapnell J. E., Duncan E. H. Patterns of incidence in acute pancreatitis. Br Med J. 1975 Apr 26;2(5964):179–183. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5964.179. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. White M. T., Morgan A., Hopton D. Postoperative pancreatitis. A study of seventy cases. Am J Surg. 1970 Aug;120(2):132–137. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9610(70)80100-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES