Aggressive or Moderate Fluid Resuscitation in Acute Pancreatitis.

Background: Early aggressive hydration is widely recommended for the management of acute pancreatitis, but evidence for this practice is limited.

Methods: At 18 centers, we randomly assigned patients who presented with acute pancreatitis to receive goal-directed aggressive or moderate resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution. Aggressive fluid resuscitation consisted of a bolus of 20 ml per kilogram of body weight, followed by 3 ml per kilogram per hour.