Severe acute pancreatitis is related to increased early urinary levels of the activation Peptide of pancreatic phospholipase A(2).

Background/aim: In acute pancreatitis, it is believed that generalized activation of pancreatic zymogens leads to autodigestion of the pancreas and if excessive to systemic organ injury. Under physiological circumstances, secretory phospholipase A(2) type I (sPLA(2)-I) is activated by trypsinogen, but the extent of this activation in acute pancreatitis is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess time course and level of activation of sPLA(2)-I and trypsinogen in acute pancreatitis, relative to severity.

Pancreatic injury in severe trauma: early diagnosis and therapy improve the outcome.

Background: Pancreatic injury is a dangerous complication in multiple injury, and experience with its diagnosis and treatment is usually limited.

Method: Retrospective analysis of 3,840 patients admitted after multiple trauma from January 1, 1982, until May 31, 2000.

Results: A laparotomy was performed in 121 cases (3.

Acute pancreatitis in transgenic mice expressing human group IIA phospholipase A2.

Introduction: There is circumstantial and contradictory evidence of the role of group IIA phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in acute pancreatitis.

Aim: To examine the severity of acute experimental pancreatitis in transgenic mice expressing human PLA2 compared with mice not expressing PLA2.

Methods: The study involved 12 young female CB57/bl mice not expressing group IIA PLA2 (wild-type mice) and 12 transgenic female CB57/bl mice expressing human group IIA PLA2 (transgenic mice).

Therapeutic application of caspase 1/interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme inhibitor decreases the death rate in severe acute experimental pancreatitis.

Objective: To assess the effect of therapeutic inhibition of interleukin 1beta-converting enzyme (ICE) in an experimental model of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Summary Background Data: Several lines of evidence suggest that cytokines activated by ICE play an instrumental role in the course of acute pancreatitis. Recent studies have shown that pharmacologic or genetic blockade of ICE significantly ameliorates the overall severity of and the death rate in SAP.