PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS IN TREATMENT OF SEVERE ACUTE ALCOHOLIC PANCREATITIS

Infectious complications currently account for 80% of deaths from acut e pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the necessity fo r prophylactic antibiotics in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Twenty-three consecutive patients suffering from acute alcoholic panc reatitis with computed tomography demonstrating two or more fluid coll ections were randomly assigned to one of two groups receiving either n onantibiotic treatment or prophylactic antibiotics (ceftazidime, amika cine, and metronidazole for 10 days). Sepsis was always diagnosed by p ositive cultures. Seven episodes of severe sepsis occurred (pancreatic infection and septic shock) in the nonantibiotic group, and no infect ion occurred in the prophylactic antibiotic group (p < 0.03). In concl usion, the use of prophylactic antibiotics in severe alcoholic acute p ancreatitis significantly reduces the incidence of severe infection.