Proactive graded follow-up strategy for reducing recurrence in acute pancreatitis (PROGRESS): protocol for a
Yingyu Pan1, Yuelun Zhang2, Zihan Yang1
1Department of Gastroenterology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
BMJ Open
|May 27, 2026
Summary
A proactive follow-up strategy significantly reduced acute pancreatitis (AP) recurrence in a randomized trial. This approach enhances patient adherence and improves outcomes for AP patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Clinical Trials
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Recurrence of acute pancreatitis (AP) is common, leading to cumulative pancreatic injury and reduced quality of life.
- Poor long-term adherence to treatments and lifestyle changes hinders effective management of AP.
- A physician-initiated, proactive, and graded follow-up strategy (PROGRESS trial) was designed to address these challenges and reduce AP recurrence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a proactive and graded follow-up strategy in reducing the recurrence of acute pancreatitis.
- To compare the outcomes of a proactive follow-up strategy against standard follow-up care for AP patients.
Main Methods:
- A multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial involving 194 AP patients.
- Patients were randomised 1:1 to either a proactive follow-up group (stratified by risk, using WeChat for follow-up) or a standard follow-up group.
- The primary endpoint was the number of AP recurrence episodes within 24 months post-discharge; intention-to-treat analysis was employed.
Main Results:
- The study is designed to evaluate the primary endpoint of AP recurrence over 24 months.
- Secondary endpoints include AP recurrence rate, progression to chronic pancreatitis, quality of life, anxiety/depression scores, readmission rates, and mortality.
Conclusions:
- The PROGRESS trial will determine if a proactive, physician-initiated follow-up strategy can effectively reduce acute pancreatitis recurrence.
- Findings are expected to inform clinical practice and improve long-term management and patient outcomes for acute pancreatitis.
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