Binge Drinking Aggravates the Outcomes of First-Attack Severe Acute Pancreatitis

Objectives: To study the association of binge drinking and the outcomes of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods: This retrospective study included 347 patients with first-attack SAP from January 2001 to February 2004. On the basis of the history of binge drinking or not, the patients were divided into the alcohol (n = 77) and the control groups (n = 270). Clinical data of the 2 groups were compared. Results: Patient age and comorbidity were similar between the 2 groups. There were more men (64, 83.1%) than women (13, 16.9%; P < 0.05) in the alcohol and the control groups (111, 41.1%; P < 0.05). The 2 groups had significant differences in admission serum triglyceride levels (5.0 +/- 5.0 vs 3.0 +/- 3.5, P < 0.05), Balthazar computed tomographic score (6.3 +/- 5.4 vs 4.2 +/- 4.5, P < 0.05), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Heath Evaluation II score (19.1 +/- 5.1 vs 16.2 +/- 6.0, P < 0.05). Total mortality and the incidences of complications were higher in the alcohol group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Binge drinking might be a contributor to the aggravation of first-attack SAP.