The Early Management of Pancreatitis Associated with Hypertriglyceridaemia (Gastro-Intestinal) (Report‪)‬

Initial restriction of oral intake, fluid resuscitation, analgesia and organ support are standard therapy in acute pancreatitis. When associated with hypertriglyceridaemia, the management of acute pancreatitis poses unique problems. Decreasing the serum triglyceride level below 5.65 mmol/l alleviates the abdominal pain. (1) Triglyceride levels fall quickly with supportive care and are usually below this level at 72 hrs. (1,2) Insulin, heparin and plasmapheresis have also been found to be effective in this regard. (3-5) Whether these additional measures are necessary, and which is more appropriate in not only reducing the triglyceride levels but also improving outcomes, is unclear. We describe our experience in this category of patients. Patients and methods