Optimal Timing of Oral Refeeding in Mild Acute Pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare 2 protocols regarding the initiation of oral nutrition in patients with mild acute pancreatitis. METHODS: We randomized 143 patients to the Lipase directed (LIP) (n = 74) and the self selected PAT (n = 69) group. In the (PAT) group, the patients restarted eating through self-selection. In the LIP group, serum lipase had to normalize before eating. RESULTS: The mean time between admission and oral nutrition was 2 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1-3) in the PAT group and 3 days (IQR, 2-4) in the LIP group (P < 0.005). Before and after the first meal, the mean Δ visual analogue scale (VAS) was +3.14 mm (±11.5 mm) in the PAT group and +2.85 mm (±16.4) in the LIP group (P = 0.597). The length of hospital stay was 7 days (median; IQR, 5-10.5) in the PAT group and 8 days (median; IQR, 5.75-12) in the LIP group (P = 0.315). CONCLUSIONS: We were not able to demonstrate a difference in postprandial abdominal pain or in the length of hospital stay. Patients with self-selected eating, however, were able to restart eating 1 day earlier, and this difference was found to be significant. Our data suggest that normalization of serum lipase is not obligatory for enteral nutrition in mild acute pancreatitis.