Pancreatitis, Cagliari on the front line: two studies to change treatments
They could revolutionize diagnosis and treatment, improving the quality of life of patients
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A sudden and sharp pain in the abdomen, which can hide a serious pathology such as pancreatitis . Every year it affects thousands of people, and in some cases it can have fatal consequences. Now, research is moving to change things, and Cagliari is at the forefront.
The AOU Emergency Surgery department, led by Professor Adolfo Pisanu, coordinates two important studies that could revolutionize diagnosis and treatment, improving the quality of life of patients.
One of the two studies is Manctra, an international project that sees the Cagliari team leading over 150 centers around the world . "The goal is to develop more effective strategies for the management of acute pancreatitis," explains Professor Pisanu. Through the analysis of data collected globally, researchers aim to identify the best therapeutic approaches to reduce complications and hospital stays.
At the national level, Cagliari is the leader of Minerva, a study funded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research .
«Coordinating 15 Italian centers – Pisanu underlines – we are working to find new strategies that prevent relapses of acute pancreatitis, reducing the risk for patients and improving their quality of life».
The most common causes of pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol abuse . "It manifests itself with intense pain in the upper abdomen, often radiating to the back," explains Professor Mauro Podda, surgeon at the Duilio Casula hospital, "and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and fever."
The diagnosis is based on the dosage of pancreatic enzymes in the blood: values three times higher than normal are a clear sign of pancreatitis. Tests such as CT, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging confirm the clinical picture.
In 80% of cases the disease resolves spontaneously, with a low-fat diet and without the need for invasive surgery .
“Contrary to what was previously thought, avoiding fasting speeds up healing,” Pisanu adds. However, in the remaining 20% of cases, pancreatitis can have serious consequences, with damage to the kidneys, lungs, or heart .
