High Serum Lipase Level is Associated With Increased Analgesic Use in Hospitalized Patients With Acute Pancreatitis

Although pain management plays an important role in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP), current guidelines lack clear and consistent recommendations for the management of abdominal pain. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with analgesic use in Chinese hospitalized patients with AP.

This was a single-center retrospective study. Patients discharged with a diagnosis of AP were consecutively included. Patients were divided into the analgesic group and the nonanalgesic group based on whether they received analgesic therapy. Clinical parameters, including baseline pain scores and serum lipase level, were compared using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression.

A total of 151 patients were included, with 69 (45.7%) receiving analgesic treatment and 82 (54.3%) receiving no analgesics. Patients with moderate-to-severe pain (score 4-7) at admission were 6.86 times more likely to receive analgesics than pain-free patients (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.12-41.99, p = 0.037). Moderately severe and severe AP (vs. mild) were associated with 2.94-fold (odds ratio [OR] = 3.94, 95% CI: 1.19-12.98, p = 0.024) and 4.05-fold (OR = 5.05, 95% CI: 1.22-20.8, p = 0.025) increased risk of analgesic use, respectively. Although 108.1 U/L ≤ lipase level < 293.4 U/L and 293.4 U/L ≤ lipase level < 809.6 U/L (vs.< 108.1 U/L) did not significantly increase analgesic use risk, patients with lipase level ≥ 809.6 U/L had a 2.8-fold increased risk (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.27-11.37, p = 0.017).

Elevated serum lipase (≥ 809.6 U/L), higher baseline pain scores, and AP severity are key factors associated with analgesic use in Chinese AP patients. These findings highlight serum lipase as a potential biomarker for individualized pain management strategies in AP.