Nutrition and Antibiotics for Acute Pancreatitis

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammatory disease that could be developed into a fatal condition. Traditional dogma was to rest the pancreas by fasting. However, evidence shows the benefits of early enteral feeding resulting in a shorter hospital stay, improved mortality, multi-organ failure, systemic infections, and the need for operative interventions. Clinicians should encourage enteral feeding as soon as possible even in severe acute pancreatitis if there are no contraindications. An immediate solid diet could be attempted. Regarding tube feeding, the nasojejunal tube did not show superiority to the nasogastric tube. Different formulas and probiotics need more investigation. Guidelines are against using prophylactic antibiotics, but Korean centers still report overuse of antibiotics. However, there is still a debate about using prophylactic antibiotics in severe acute pancreatitis. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be initiated when an infection is suspected. In conclusion, enteral nutritional support and optimal use of antibiotics are the keys to the management of acute pancreatitis.