Dyslipidaemic pancreatitis clinical assessment and analysis of disease severity and outcomes.

INTRODUCTION The relationship between pancreatitis and dyslipidaemia is unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS Admissions with acute pancreatitis were prospectively evaluated. A comparison of the demographic profile, aetiology, disease severity scores, complications and deaths was made in relationship to the lipid profiles. RESULTS From June 2001 to May 2005, there were 230 admissions. The pancreatitis was associated with alcohol (63%), gallstones (18%), idiopathic (9%) and isolated dyslipidaemia (10%). Dyslipidaemia was significantly different between the two predominant race groups: Indian 50.5% and African 17.9% (p < 0.000017). Seventy-eight (34%) had associated dyslipidaemia and 152 (66%) were normolipaemic at admission. The average body mass index was higher in the dyslipidaemic group (27 +/- 6) than in the normolipaemic group (24.5 +/- 6.20; p = 0.004). The mortality rate was similar between the dyslipidaemic and normolipaemic patients (10 and 8%, respectively) and unrelated to race (p = 0.58). The 9 deaths in the dyslipidaemic group occurred in those with persistent hypertriglyceridaemia irrespective of its level (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION Dyslipidaemic pancreatitis was more common in the Indian ethnic group. Adverse outcomes in those with dyslipidaemia were predominantly associated with hypertriglyceridaemia.