HYPERLIPIDEMIA IN ACUTE PANCREATITIS: CONCOMITANT DISORDER OR A CAUSE?

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is a common condition with alcohol and gallstones being the most frequent etiologies. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, its etiopathogenetic role and influence on outcomes in patients with acute pancreatitis.The study included 47 patients admitted to our clinic for acute pancreatitis during one year period. On admission patients with hyperlipidemia were compared to those without it, regarding following parameters: body mass index, Glasgow score, organ failure occurrence, local complications occurrence (pancreatic necrosis, pseudocyst, abscess, jaundice, gastric outlet syndrome), intensive care unit stay and death. The results of the study revealed high incidence of hyperlipidemia in 51% of examined acute pancreatitis patients with the prevalence of severe forms in more than half of these patients. Dominant lipid disorder was hypertriglyceridemia, followed by hypercholesterolemia. It was clearly demonstrated that patients with hyperlipidemia, especially hypertriglyceridemia, had more severe acute pancreatitis, higher incidence of complications and poorer outcome compared to normolipemic patients. Hyperlipidemia in patients with acute pancreatitis should be considered and treated by a clinician as a separate serious problem, both when being a cause and a concomitant disorder. Hypolipidemic therapy should be administered both in urgent acute pancreatitis settings and as a long-term treatment aimed to prevent inflammation recurrence by successful persistent serum lipid levels control.

Key words: Hyperlipidemia, acute pancreatitis