Fatal acute pancreatitis occurring outside of the hospital: clinical and social characteristics.

Background: Mortality caused by acute pancreatitis in patients admitted to the hospital has been thoroughly investigated, but knowledge regarding outpatient fatalities is far from complete. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and clinical characteristics of patients who have died due to acute pancreatitis occurring outside the hospital.

Methods: Deaths caused by acute pancreatitis in the southern part of Sweden during 1994-2008 were identified at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Lund.