Extrapancreatic Complications in Hospitalized Patients With Mild Acute Pancreatitis Are Associated With Poorer Outcomes: Results From a Single-Center Study

Patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) are at risk for extrapancreatic complications (EPCs) when admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We assessed the prevalence of EPCs in non-ICU AP patients and their outcomes.We retrospectively studied EPCs in non-ICU AP patients between 2008 and 2018. Outcomes such as length of stay (LOS), inpatient mortality, and 30-day readmission rates were compared between those with and without EPC.Of the 830 AP patients, 151 (18.1%) had at least 1 EPC. These included urinary tract infection (15.9%), Clostridium difficile infection (17.2%), pneumonia (7.3%), bacteremia (17.2%), acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (3.3%), gastrointestinal bleeding (12.5%), alcohol withdrawal (24.5%), delirium (14.5%), and falls (1.32%). Patients with EPC had increased mean LOS (6.98 vs 4.42 days; P0.001) and 30-day readmissions (32.5% vs 19%; P0.001). On multivariate regression, EPCs were independently associated with higher LOS (odds ratio, 1.45 [95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.56]; P0.001) and 30-day readmissions (odds ratio, 1.94 [95% confidence interval 1.28-2.95]; P0.001).The EPCs are common among noncritical AP patients and contribute to poor outcomes like increased LOS and 30-day readmissions.