COMPARATIVE CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF ALCOHOL-INDUCED AND GALLSTONE-INDUCED ACUTE PANCREATITIS: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDYCOMPARATIVE CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF ALCOHOL-INDUCED AND GALLSTONE-INDUCED ACUTE PANCREATITIS: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common gastrointestinal emergency with alcohol consumption and gallstone disease being the leading causes. Differences in clinical course, complications, and outcomes between these etiologies remain clinically relevant. Aim: To compare the clinical outcomes of alcohol-induced and gallstone-induced acute pancreatitis. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at RKDF Medical College, Bhopal, India, over 18 months. A total of 152 patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis were enrolled and divided into two groups: alcohol-induced (n = 101) and gallstone-induced (n = 51). Data were collected on demographics, severity of pancreatitis, complications, and outcomes. Primary outcomes included nil per oral (NPO) duration, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Secondary outcomes included local and systemic complications. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Alcohol-induced pancreatitis was more common (66.45%) and affected predominantly younger males (mean age 37.8 years, 97% male), while gallstone-induced pancreatitis was more frequent in older females (mean age 46.5 years, 84.3% female; p < 0.0001). No mortality was observed in either group. The mean NPO duration (2.49 ± 1.12 vs. 2.75 ± 1.02 days; p = 0.1656) and hospital stay (3.55 ± 1.81 vs. 3.41 ± 1.3 days; p = 0.617) were comparable. Alcohol-induced pancreatitis showed a higher incidence of acute necrotic collection (21.8% vs. 3.92%), while gallstone-induced cases had more pseudocyst formation (43.1% vs. 27.7%). Conclusion: Both alcohol-induced and gallstone-induced acute pancreatitis demonstrated favorable short-term outcomes with no mortality when managed appropriately. Alcohol-induced cases were more prone to necrosis, whereas gallstone-induced cases had a higher risk of pseudocysts. Etiology-specific monitoring is recommended to guide early intervention and optimize patient management.