Objective The existing literature on the combination of acute pancreatitis (AP) and COVID-19 is scarce. The objective of our study is to compare the clinical outcomes and occurrence of long COVID syndrome in AP patients with and without COVID-19, while investigating the potential impact of COVID-19 on the severity, mortality rate, and long COVID syndrome in these patients. Methods This retrospective, observational study was conducted at a single center. It included patients aged 18 years and above who were diagnosed with AP during the pandemic. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the results of RT-qPCR testing: the SARS-CoV-2-positive group and the SARS-CoV-2-negative group. The study aimed to compare the severity of AP, mortality rate, and occurrence of long COVID syndrome between these two groups. Result A retrospective review was conducted on 122 patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis between December 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023. Out of these patients, 100 were included in the study. The analysis revealed no significant differences in mortality rate, severity, and sequelae between AP patients with COVID-19 and those without COVID-19 (p > 0.005). However, a statistically significant difference was observed in the occurrence of long COVID syndrome, specifically in the presence of cough (p = 0.04). Conclusion This study demonstrates that the presence of COVID-19 in patients with pancreatitis does not lead to an increase in the mortality and severity rate of pancreatitis.

Background: There is still a lack of knowledge on the association between cholecystectomy and liver disease. This study was conducted to summarize the available evidence on the association of cholecystectomy with liver disease and quantify the magnitude of the risk of liver disease after cholecystectomy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched systematically from database inception to January 2023 to identify eligible studies that evaluated the association between cholecystectomy and the risk of liver disease. Meta-analysis was conducted to obtain a summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using a random-effects model. Results: We identified 20 studies with a total of 27 320 709 individuals and 282 670 liver disease cases. Cholecystectomy was associated with an increased risk of liver disease (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.34–1.98). In particular, cholecystectomy was found to be significantly associated with a 54% increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.18–2.01), a 173% increased risk of cirrhosis (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.81–4.12), and a 46% increased risk of primary liver cancer (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.18–1.82). Conclusions: There is an association between cholecystectomy and the risk of liver disease. Our results suggest that strict surgical indications should be implemented to reduce unnecessary cholecystectomy. Additionally, the routine assessment of liver disease is necessary for patients with a history of cholecystectomy. More prospective large-sample studies are required for better estimates of the risk.