Gallstone pancreatitis: a benign disease in Hispanics

Abstract

Little is known about ethnic differences among patients with gallstone pancreatitis in the United States. The purpose of this study was to compare Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients with gallstone pancreatitis with regard to severity of disease, level of care required, length of hospital stay, and clinical outcomes. A retrospective cohort study of 198 consecutive patients with gallstone pancreatitis was performed from 2003 to 2005. Overall, 161 patients were Hispanic and 37 were non-Hispanic. The average age of Hispanic patients was 41 years versus 47.5 years in the non-Hispanic group (P = 0.02). Only 16 (10%) Hispanic patients had a Ranson score of 2 or greater versus nine (24%) of the non-Hispanic group (P = 0.03). Only 39 (24%) Hispanic patients were admitted to an intensive care unit or stepdown unit versus 17 (46%) of the non-Hispanic group (P = 0.01). Hispanic patients underwent cholecystectomy at an average of 5.8 days after admission versus 6.6 days for non-Hispanic patients (P = 0.07). There was a 4 per cent complication rate and a 2 per cent readmission rate overall with no statistically significant differences between the two groups and no mortality. The majority of Hispanic patients with gallstone pancreatitis have a benign disease process, presenting at a younger age, with less severe disease that infrequently requires intensive care unit admission.