Assessment of severity of acute pancreatitis according to new prognostic factors and CT grading

The assessment of severity at the initial medical examination plays an important role in introducing adequate early treatment and the transfer of patients to a medical facility that can cope with severe acute pancreatitis. Under these circumstances, “criteria for severity assessment” have been prepared in various countries, including Japan, and these criteria are now being evaluated. The criteria for severity assessment of acute pancreatitis in Japan were determined in 1990 (of which a partial revision was made in 1999). In 2008, an overall revision was made and the new Japanese criteria for severity assessment of acute pancreatitis were prepared. In the new criteria for severity assessment, the diagnosis of severe acute pancreatitis can be made according to 9 prognostic factors and/or the computed tomography (CT) grades based on contrast-enhanced CT. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis are expected to be transferred to a specialist medical center or to an intensive care unit to receive adequate treatment there. In Japan, severe acute pancreatitis is recognized as being a specified intractable disease on the basis of these criteria, so medical expenses associated with severe acute pancreatitis are covered by Government payment.