Lowest Case Fatality Rate for Patients with Acute Pancreatitis Admitted in Gastroenterology Units in Veneto Region, Italy

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate trends in hospitalizations and outcomes of acute pancreatitis (AP) according to first admitting hospital unit and hospital volumes. Methods Hospital discharge records of patients with AP admitted in the Veneto Region (Northeast Italy) during the period 2001-2015 were examined. Results A total of 23,389 patients (54% males; mean age, 62.2 years; standard deviation, 19.3 years) were admitted for AP. Both hospitalization (32.4 to 29.5/100,000 inhabitants per year; P < 0.05) and in-hospital mortality (1.41 to 0.79/100,000 inhabitants per year; P < 0.05) decreased over the study period. Case fatality rate was altogether 3.2%. The percentages of patients admitted in surgery, nongastroenterology medical units, gastroenterology, and intensive care were 52%, 30%, 16%, and 2%, respectively. Fewer fatalities were observed in gastroenterology units (1.7%) compared with nongastroenterology medical units (4.3%; odds ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.49) and surgical units (2.7%; odds ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.80). Fatalities decreased progressively with increasing hospital volumes from 3.7% to 2.9% (P < 0.05). Conclusion In the Veneto Region, both hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality for AP significantly decreased over the last 15 years. Case fatality rate was lowest for patients admitted in gastroenterology units.