Prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis for body mass index

Although obesity has been thought to be a prognostic factor for acute pancreatitis, there is a difference in the contribution among the races. We studied the relationship between the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and body mass index (BMI). We retrospectively investigated 139 patients with SAP (median age, 52 years old; 106 male and 33 female patients) who were admitted to Showa University Hospital from November 2002 through December 2010. Among 139 patients with SAP, those of BMI less than 25kg/m2 comprised 64.7%, those of BMI 25-30kg/m2 did 25.2%, and those of BMI more than 30kg/m2 did 10.1%. There were significant differences in administered fluid volume in the early phase, PaO2/FIO2, age, abdominal circumference, HbA1c, and the rate of metabolic syndrome between patients of BMI less than 25 or 30kg/m2 and those of BMI more than 25 or 30kg/m2. Complications, total hospital stay and mortality for SAP did not differ significantly between patients of BMI less than BMI 25 or 30kg/m2 and those of BMI more than BMI 25 or 30kg/m2. Obese patients were younger and had more respiratory disturbance than non-obese patients. However, there was no relationship between obesity and the prognosis of SAP.