Acute pancreatitis can be caused by many etiologies including high levels of plasma triglycerides. Hypertriglyceridemic acute pancreatitis (HTGAP) can cause life-threatening complications such as multi-organ failure. While plasma exchange is used to quickly lower plasma triglyceride concentrations, the benefits of this treatment are not clear. In order to better understand the therapeutic effects of plasma exchange on HTGAP, researchers in China retrospectively matched 42 patients with HTGAP who received plasma exchange with 42 patients who received standard care. Plasma exchange significantly reduced the level of plasma triglycerides (P<0.05); however, clinical outcomes were similar in both groups, including acute renal failure, hospital stay and death. In addition, total expenses were significantly higher for the plasma exchange group compared to the standard care group (P=0.017). Elevated levels of D-dimers were associated with acute renal level failure in both groups, which may help identify patients at risk for more severe outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the best treatments for patients with HTGAP.
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