Different clinical characteristics between recurrent and non-recurrent acute pancreatitis: A retrospective cohort study from a tertiary hospital

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common digestive disorder with different clinical outcomes, some of which develop into recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP). This study aimed to explore the differences between AP and RAP. Methods: All patients with AP admitted to Changsha Central Hospital between January 2015 and December 2020 were included. Characteristics between RAP and non-RAP groups were compared. Independent factors associated with RAP were identified by multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: This was a retrospective study. A total of 1567 patients, including 262 patients in the RAP group and 1305 patients in the non-RAP group, were enrolled. Compared to the non-RAP group, results indicated that the RAP group was younger (P < 0.001), had a male predominance (P < 0.001), and had higher incidences of diabetes (P < 0.001) and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) (P < 0.001). Lower incidences of cholelithiasis (P < 0.001) and acute liver injury (P < 0.001) were also noted in the RAP group. Scores of Ranson, BISAP, SOFA, and APACHE II were significantly higher in the non-RAP group (P < 0.001 for all). Three independent factors associated with RAP, including male gender (P = 0.006), diabetes (P < 0.001), and HTG (P < 0.001), were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Conclusion: Compared to the non-RAP, the incidence of cholelithiasis and acute liver injury was lower in RAP. Three independent factors associated with RAP, namely male, diabetes, and HTG, were identified.