Is acute necrotising pancreatitis a chronic disease?

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common disease with an annual incidence of 34 (23–49) per 100 000 population.1 Patients with acute interstitial pancreatitis have a shorter self-limiting disease course while acute necrotising pancreatitis (ANP) is a much more severe disease with major local and systemic complications mandating prolonged hospitalisation.2 Among the local complications, acute necrotic fluid collections and walled-off necrosis require interventions preferably minimally invasively such as percutaneous and per-oral endoscopic drainage, and necrosectomy.3 Although the majority of patients survive the illness but their misery doesn't end there with potential long-term serious consequences. This is the focus of the cohort study comprising of 373 patients with a median follow-up of 13.5 years published in Gut by Hollemans et al.4 The word ‘chronic’ literally refers to disease duration. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) define chronic diseases broadly as conditions that last 1...
Source: Gut - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Gut Commentary Source Type: research