Evaluation of Laboratory Findings and Mortality in Elderly Patients with Acute Biliary Pancreatitis

Gallstones are the most common cause of acute biliary pancreatitis. Laboratory and imaging findings as well as age are important predictors for mortality. Hospitalization rate is also higher in elderly patients. In this study, we investigated clinical parameters and total mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis aged >65 years.

In this study, 852 patients who entered the Gastroenterology Clinic for acute biliary pancreatitis between April 2006 and October 2013 were included. Data were retrospectively collected from the electronic record system. The patients with elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels (i.e. three times higher than normal value), cholelithiasis, cholecystectomy history, or choledocholithiasis were accepted as the patients with acute biliary pancreatitis. Patients were divided into two groups based on their age, i.e., >65 and <65 years.

In the group with patients aged <65 years, serum alanine aminotransferase, albumin, hematocrit, and amylase, and in the group with patients aged >65 years, urea, leukocyte, and C-reactive protein levels were significantly different. Median hospital stay was similar in both the groups. The rate of detection of choledocholithiasis was significantly higher in elderly patients (p<0.001). Mortality rate was significantly higher in elderly patients for 28 day (0.21% and 2.95%, p<0.001) and 90 day (1.25% and 5.63%, p<0.001). In logistic regression multivariate analysis, age (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.54-1.36; p=0.006), elevated urea levels (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.19; p=0.001), elevated hematocrit levels (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.13-1.77; p=0.002), and decreased albumin levels (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.004-0.652; p=0.022) were found predictors for 90-day mortality.

Laboratory findings in elderly patients with acute pancreatitis may differ from those in younger patients. Although radiological findings are similar in both the groups, mortality is higher in the group with patients aged >65 years.