The Etiology and Epidemiological Features of Acute Pancreatitis in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

We aimed to identify the etiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) and its most common causes with its epidemiological features among the Saudi population in 2023 in different regions. In this systematic review, we assessed the etiology and epidemiological features of acute pancreatitis in Saudi Arabia following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2009 guidelines. Inclusion criteria were studies conducted in Saudi Arabia, published in English, and involving participants aged 18 years or older. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched in March 2023 for English articles published between 1985 and 2023 using specific keywords. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles for eligibility, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Data on study characteristics, participant demographics, and etiological factors were extracted using a standardized form. Descriptive analysis summarized the etiology of acute pancreatitis in Saudi Arabia based on the extracted data. Out of the 58 studies retrieved for screening, 10 studies were included in the final systematic review, and most of them were done in the Riyadh region. The sum of the sample size was 1,695 participants. In Saudi Arabia, the most prevalent cause of acute pancreatitis is biliary stones. The average mortality rate of acute pancreatitis in reported studies is 2.2%. In conclusion, biliary and idiopathic causes are the most frequent etiologies of AP in some different regions of Saudi Arabia, acute peripancreatic fluid collections and pancreatic pseudocysts are the two most commonly reported complications associated with AP, and the mortality rate of AP in Saudi Arabia may be higher compared to developed countries.