Multiple organ failure might be an indication for prophylactic antifungal therapy in acute pancreatitis

Significant conflicts regarding prophylactic antifungal treatment in acute pancreatitis (AP) exist among current literatures and guidelines. The key to resolving this controversial issue is to identify risk factors for intra-abdominal fungal infection (AFI) among patients with AP. A single-center, retrospective cohort of 826 patients with AP between January 2014 to December 2019 was analysed to study the risk factors of AFI. Of the 826 patients with AP, 10 patients (1.2%) developed AFI, including 2 cases in moderately severe AP (MSAP) and 8 in severe AP (SAP). The incidence of AFI was significantly higher in patients with SAP compared with MSAP and mild AP (10.3 vs. 0.8% vs. 0, P < 0.001). SAP patients with AFI were more likely to have multiple organ failure (MOF) (OR = 13.4; 95% CI 1.6–115.5), organ failure lasting more than 1 week (OR = 5.1; 95% CI 1.0–27.0), and surgical intervention within first week of admission (OR = 7.4; 95% CI 1.0–53.6). Multivariable analysis identified MOF (OR = 14.3; 95% CI 1.2–173.8) as the only independent risk factor of AFI. MOF might be the indication of prophylactic antifungal therapy in patients with AP.