The Clinical Characteristics and Outcome of Elderly Patients With Acute Pancreatitis

Objectives This study aimed to identify the risk factors for the progression of acute pancreatitis (AP) to severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and death in elderly patients. Methods This was a single-center retrospective study conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, duration of hospitalization, complications, interventions, and mortality rates were collected. Results Between January 2010 and January 2021, 2084 elderly patients with AP were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 70.0 years (standard deviation, 7.1 years). Among them, 324 (15.5%) had SAP and 105 died (5.0%). The 90-day mortality rate in the SAP group was significantly higher than that in the AP group ( P < 0.0001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that trauma, hypertension, and smoking were risk factors for SAP. After multivariate adjustment, acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, sepsis, organ perforation, and abdominal hemorrhage were associated with higher 90-day mortality. Conclusions Traumatic pancreatitis, hypertension, and smoking are independent risk factors for SAP in elderly patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute kidney injury, sepsis, organ perforation, and abdominal hemorrhage are independent risk factors for death in elderly patients with AP.