PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Singal, Ashwani K.
AU  - Elamin, Abdul Hadi K.
AU  - Ayoola, Ayobanji E.
TI  - Profile of acute pancreatitis in Jizan, Saudi Arabia
DP  - 2003 Jan 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 72--75
VI  - 24
IP  - 1
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/24/1/72.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/24/1/72.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2003 Jan 01; 24
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The epidemiology of acute pancreatitis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) may be different from the West. The present study describes the profile of acute pancreatitis in Jizan, KSA.METHODS: Patients diagnosed as acute pancreatitis in the King Fahd Central Hospital (KFCH), Jizan, KSA over a period of 12 years (1411-1422 Hijra year) were retrospectively analyzed with particular reference to the clinical features, disease severity, and result on management.RESULTS: There were 71 episodes in 62 patients (26 males and 36 females; 53 Saudis, whose ages ranged from 13-82 years (mean age: 42.6 years.). Of these patients, 5 had 2 episodes each one had 5 recurrent episodes. The etiology included gallstone disease in 26 (42%) cases; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in 11 (18%) cases. No cause could be identified in 16 (26%). Patients. with ERCP - related pancreatitis were asymptomatic. In the symptomatic group (60 episodes), abdominal pain (100%), vomiting (78%) and fever (20%) were the most frequent features. Overall the clinical course was mild in 61 (86%) episodes and severe in 10 (14%). Ranson's scoring accurately identified 60 of the 61 mild episodes and only 6 of the severe illness. Complications in the latter sub-group of cases, included pseudocyst (4 cases) and pancreatic abscess in 2 cases. Three of the patients died, giving overall mortality of 4.2%. Two deaths were directly related to the severe pancreatitis and one was due to massive vomiting and aspiration.CONCLUSION: It is concluded that 1. Cholelithiasis is the most frequent cause of acute pancreatitis; 2. Biliary pancreatitis occurred more frequently in elderly females and was associated with higher mean levels of lactic dehydrogenase and aspartate transaminase as compared to patients with non-biliary causes. In Jizan, acute pancreatitis presents in a mild form with low morbidity and mortality, irrespective of the cause.