Acute pancreatitis in COVID-19 patients: true risk?

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology 2021-05, Vol.56 (5), p.585-587
• Main Authors: Bulthuis, Margo C., Boxhoorn, Lotte, Beudel, Martijn, Elbers, Paul W. G., Kop, Marnix P. M., van Wanrooij, Roy L. J., Besselink, Marc G., Voermans, Rogier P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute pancreatitis; coronavirus disease; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - physiopathology; COVID-19 - therapy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Incidence; Intensive Care Units - statistics & numerical data; Ischemia - etiology; Ischemia - physiopathology; Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Organ Failure - diagnosis; Multiple Organ Failure - etiology; Multiple Organ Failure - physiopathology; Netherlands - epidemiology; Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; Pancreas - blood supply; Pancreas - physiopathology; Pancreatitis - diagnosis; Pancreatitis - epidemiology; Pancreatitis - etiology; Pancreatitis - physiopathology; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 0036-5521; 1502-7708
• DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2021.1896776

A relation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and acute pancreatitis has been suggested. However, the incidence and clinical relevance of this relation remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the incidence, severity and clinical impact of acute pancreatitis in patients with COVID-19. This is a cross-sectional study of a prospective, observational cohort concerning all COVID-19 patients admitted to two Dutch university hospitals between 4 March 2020 and 26 May 2020. Primary outcome was acute pancreatitis potentially related to COVD-19 infection. Acute pancreatitis was defined according to the revised Atlanta Classification. Potential relation with COVID-19 was defined as the absence of a clear aetiology of acute pancreatitis. Among 433 patients with COVID-19, five (1.2%) had potentially related acute pancreatitis according to the revised Atlanta Classification. These five patients suffered from severe COVID-19 infection; all had (multiple) organ failure and 60% died. None of the patients developed necrotizing pancreatitis. Moreover, development of acute pancreatitis did not lead to major treatment consequences. In contrast with previous research, our study demonstrated that COVID-19 related acute pancreatitis is rare and of little clinical impact. It is therefore debatable if acute pancreatitis in COVID-19 patients requires specific screening. We hypothesize that acute pancreatitis occurs in patients with severe illness due to COVID-19 infection as a result of transient hypoperfusion and pancreatic ischemia, not as a direct result of the virus.