Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2025
Technical Detail for Robot Assisted Pancreaticoduodenectomy
Published on: September 28, 2019
Acute pancreatitis in children - morbidity and outcomes at 1 year
A Bhanot1, A A Majbar2, Toby Candler3
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Insights
Childhood acute pancreatitis (AP) leads to significant complications, with about a third of young patients experiencing recurrence. Many children do not fully recover within a year, highlighting the serious impact of AP in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Clinical Epidemiology
Background:
- Acute pancreatitis (AP) in children is a serious condition with potential for short- and medium-term complications.
- Understanding the long-term outcomes of pediatric AP is crucial for effective management and patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the short-term and medium-term complications of acute pancreatitis (AP) one year after diagnosis in children aged 0-14 years.
- To assess the incidence of complications and comorbidities following pediatric AP.
Main Methods:
- Prospective monthly surveillance of new acute pancreatitis cases in children under 15 years across the UK and Ireland.
- Utilized the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) with participation from over 3700 consultant pediatricians and surgeons.
- One-year follow-up was conducted for confirmed cases to track outcomes and complications.
Main Results:
- Of 94 new AP cases, 90 were followed for one year; 32% had recurrent AP episodes.
- Over 20% of patients experienced major complications, including pancreatic necrosis (9%) and respiratory failure (7%) during initial admission.
- By one year, pseudocyst formation (10%), diabetes (4%), and maldigestion (1%) were reported. Only 59% achieved full recovery; case fatality was approximately 2.0%.
Conclusions:
- Childhood acute pancreatitis is associated with substantial short- and medium-term complications and comorbidities.
- Approximately one-third of children with AP face recurrence, underscoring the chronic nature of the disease in some cases.
- Pediatric AP requires comprehensive follow-up due to the significant risk of ongoing health issues and incomplete recovery.
Objective:
To establish short-term and medium-term complications 1-year postdiagnosis, of acute pancreatitis (AP) in children aged 0-14 years.
Design:
One-year follow-up of a prospective monthly surveillance of new cases of AP in children under 15 years through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) from April 2013 to April 2014.
Setting:
A monthly surveillance of >3700 consultant paediatricians and paediatric surgeons in the UK and Ireland using the BPSU.
Patients:
Children aged 0-14 years with a new diagnosis of AP.
Main Outcome Measures:
The outcomes following AP, including the incidence of complications and comorbidity at diagnosis and at 1 year.
Results:
Of the 94 new confirmed cases of AP identified in the UK during the study period, 90 cases (96%) were included in the 1-year follow-up. 30 patients (32%) developed further episode(s) of AP. Over one-fifth of patients developed one or more major complication. At initial admission, the most common of these was pancreatic necrosis (n=8, 9%), followed by respiratory failure (n=7, 7%). Reported complications by 1 year were pseudocyst formation (n=9, 10%), diabetes requiring insulin therapy (n=4, 4%) and maldigestion (n=1, 1%). At 1-year postdiagnosis, only 59% of children made a full recovery with no acute or chronic complications or recurrent episodes of AP. Two patients died, indicating a case fatality of ~2.0%.
Conclusions:
AP in childhood is associated with significant short-term and medium-term complications and comorbidities including risk of recurrence in approximately a third of cases.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Acute Pancreatitis II: Clinical Manifestations and Management
01:27Acute Pancreatitis I: Introduction
Acute pancreatitis is characterized by rapid inflammation of the pancreas, often caused by factors like gallstone blockage or excessive alcohol consumption. Chronic pancreatitis, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive inflammation that may result from long-term alcohol abuse, obstructions in the pancreatic duct, or genetic factors.
The causes of acute pancreatitis include:
01:24Chronic Pancreatitis I: Introduction
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
01:29Chronic Pancreatitis II: Collaborative Care
Assessment:
01:29Acute Kidney Injury III: Clinical Manifestations