Epidemiology of acute pancreatitis--incidence by etiology, relapse rate, cause of death and long-term prognosis

The epidemiology of acute pancreatitis is reported with reference to its incidence by etiology, relapse rate, cause of death and long-term prognosis. According to the national investigation about its epidemiology in 1999, the speculated number of patients was 19,500 in 1998. In 1,688 patients reported in the study, there were 1,051 males and 565 females (1.9:1), and 54.8% of them were of mild type, 19.9% of moderate type and 25.3% of severe type. The incidence peaked in their fifties in males and seventies in females. The three most common causes of acute pancreatitis were alcohol consumption, gallstone and idiopathic disease. The relapse rate of severe acute pancreatitis was 12.5%, and 70% of them relapsed only once. The mortality of severe type due to pancreatitis-related causes was organ failures in 73 % within 2 weeks after its attack, and infectious diseases due to pancreatic infection in 33.3 % after more than three months from its attack.