Abstract:

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with acute pancreatitis (AP), and analyze the correlation between the two. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 patients with COVID-19 and AP treated at Cangzhou Central Hospital and Hejian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from December 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023, including analysis of age, gender, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and imaging studies. Results Among the 11 patients, 8 were male and 3 were female, with ages ranging from 29 to 79 years. Ten cases were categorized as mild COVID-19, with one case being moderate. Eight cases presented with mild acute pancreatitis (MAP), two cases with moderate-severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP), and one case with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The manifestations in common digestive showed there were 11 cases of abdominal pain, 4 cases of nausea and vomiting, and 1 case of diarrhea. Laboratory findings showed blood amylase levels of 139 (38-851) U/L, blood triglyceride levels of 2.57 (0.69-4.2) mmol/L, and lipase levels of 74 (27-196) U/L in 8 patients. Among patients with a history of diabetes, fasting blood glucose levels increased by 2-4 mmol/L after onset in 3 cases. Five patients presented positive for hydrogen and methane breath test. Conclusion In patients with COVID-19 and AP, males were more commonly affected, with a predominance of mild COVID-19, and MAP was more prevalence in patients with APCOVID-19 and AP. COVID-19 may lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, affecting blood lipids, blood sugar, and intestinal microbiota in AP patients, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of AP.

Key words: novel coronavirus pneumonia, acute pancreatitis, blood lipids, blood sugar, intestinal bacterial overgrowth, clinical features