Recurrent biliary acute pancreatitis is frequent in a real-world setting

Data about recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) are limited.

To evaluate the rate of RAP and associated factors.

Single-centre prospective study of consecutive patients at first episode of acute pancreatitis (AP) being followed-up.

Of 266 consecutive AP patients, (47% biliary, 15.4% alcoholic, 14.3% idiopathic) 66 (24.8%) had RAP in a mean follow-up of 42 months; 17.9% of recurrences occurred within 30 days from discharge. Age, gender, smoking and severity of first AP were not associated with RAP risk. The rate of biliary RAP was 31.3% in patients who did not receive any treatment, 18% in those treated with ERCP only, 16% in those who received cholecystectomy only, and 0% in those treated both with surgery and ERCP. Patients with biliary AP who received cholecystectomy had a significantly longer time of recurrence-free survival and reduced recurrence risk (HR = 0.45). In patients with alcoholic AP, the rate of recurrence was lower in those who quit drinking (5.8% vs 33%; p = 0.05). The alcoholic aetiology was associated with a higher risk of having >2 RAP episodes.

RAP occurs in about 25% of cases, and failure to treat biliary aetiology or quitting drinking is associated with increased recurrence risk.