Association Between Ascites and Clinical Findings in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Complications are the most important outcome determinants for acute pancreatitis (AP). We designed this single-center retrospective study to evaluate the clinical findings (complications, disease severity, and outcomes) of 218 patients with AP and to identify variables associated with ascites. MATERIAL/METHODS: We extracted clinical data from consecutive patients with AP and divided them into 2 groups based on presence or absence of ascites. We compared disease severity, complications, and outcomes between groups. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 218 patients with AP (43 with ascites and 175 without it). The patients with ascites had a more severe disease (higher incidence of pancreatic inflammation [90.70% vs 68.57%; P=0.003], higher modified computed tomography severity index score [2.00 (0.00–2.00) vs 4.00 (4.00–6.00); P<0.001], higher incidence of moderate/severe AP [53.49% vs 13.14%; P<0.001]) and poorer outcomes (higher incidence of ventilation [6.98% vs 0.57%; P=0.025] and vasopressor use [4.65% vs 0%; P=0.038], and longer hospital stays [10.00 (7.00–13.00) vs 8.00 (5.00–10.00); P=0.007]) than those without ascites. Moreover, patients with ascites also displayed a higher risk for pancreatic fluid collection (odds ratio [OR]=9.206; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.613–32.447; P<0.001), renal failure (OR=5.732; 95% CI, 1.025–32.041; P=0.024), respiratory failure (OR=6.242; 95% CI, 1.034–37.654; P=0.029), and pleural effusion (OR=5.186; 95% CI, 1.381–19.483; P<0.001) than those without ascites. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from the experience of a single center of patients with AP showed that pancreatic fluid collections, renal failure, respiratory failure, and pleural effusion were associated with the development of ascites.