An international multicenter study of early intravenous fluid administration and outcome in acute pancreatitis.

AIMS: Early aggressive fluid resuscitation in acute pancreatitis is frequently recommended but its benefits remain unproven. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes associated with early fluid volume administration in the emergency room (FVER) in patients with acute pancreatitis.

METHODS: A four-center retrospective cohort study of 1010 patients with acute pancreatitis was conducted. FVER was defined as any fluid administered from the time of arrival to the emergency room to 4 h after diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, and was divided into tertiles: nonaggressive (<500 ml), moderate (500 to 1000 ml), and aggressive (>1000 ml).

RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-nine (26.6%), 427 (42.3%), and 314 (31.1%) patients received nonaggressive, moderate, and aggressive FVER respectively. Compared with the nonaggressive fluid group, the moderate group was associated with lower rates of local complications in univariable analysis, and interventions, both in univariable and multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.37 (0.14-0.98)). The aggressive resuscitation group was associated with a significantly lower need for interventions, both in univariable and multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio 0.21 (0.05-0.84)). Increasing fluid administration categories were associated with decreasing hospital stay in univariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: Early moderate to aggressive FVER was associated with lower need for invasive interventions.