The novel early predictive marker presepsin for postoperative pancreatic fistula: A pilot study.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (PF) is a major and serious complication that occurs after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the use of a novel biomarker, presepsin, for predicting clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after PD. A prospective pilot study was conducted using 30 consecutive patients who underwent PD. Risk factors and candidates for predictive biomarkers for CR-POPF were statistically analyzed. CR-POPF (grade B and C; determined according to the guidelines of the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula) occurred in 15 patients (50%). Univariate analysis revealed that certain underlying conditions, including non-pancreatic cancer, smaller pancreatic ducts and soft pancreas texture were significantly associated with CR-POPF (P=0.005, P=0.004 and P=0.014, respectively). Furthermore, on day 1 post surgery (POD1), white blood cell count (P=0.040), levels of serum amylase (P=0.002) and serum presepsin (P=0.012), and the concentration of presepsin in drainage fluid (P<0.001) were significantly increased in CR-POPF compared with non-CR-POPF cases. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed that, on POD1, serum amylase and the concentration of presepsin in drainage fluid had an area under the curve value exceeding 0.8. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher concentration of presepsin in the drainage fluid was an independent predictive marker for CR-POPF (odds ratio, 14.503; 95% confidence interval, 1.750-120.229; P=0.013). To the best of our knowledge, the present study demonstrated for the first time that presepsin concentration in drainage fluid is a useful marker of CR-POPF after PD.