Dr. M. Pavani Melpati,
BACKGROUND Although the identity of the pancreas has been known, its critical digestive functions were recently appreciated. Pancreas is an organ in the middle of the upper abdomen, close to the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. It produces specialized proteins called enzymes that are important in the digestion of proteins, fats, and sugars. We wanted to evaluate total serum calcium and albumin corrected calcium as prognostic severity factors in acute pancreatitis METHODS This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from July 2015 to June 2016. All patients who were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis by clinical examination, laboratory-, radiological- and biochemical-investigations were considered as subjects. Serum calcium & albumin corrected calcium were measured within 24 hrs. of admission. Patients were followed up for a maximum period of 4 weeks & outcomes also studied, in terms of expiry, local complications or systemic complications. Significance of Serum Calcium and Albumin Corrected Calcium in predicting outcome of acute pancreatitis was assessed and compared with BISAP score. RESULTS Specificity of hypocalcaemia (calcium<7.5) in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis is 80%. Specificity of low ACC (<7.5) in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis is 89%. Specificity of high BISAP Score (>3) in predicting severity of acute pancreatitis is 97%. CONCLUSIONS Hypocalcaemia & low ACC can predict severity of acute pancreatitis, as with BISAP score, but it is not superior to BISAP score.
