Acute pancreatitis : what is it, why is it on the rise, and what are the current nutrition recommendations? / Christie Heinzman, Rebecca Wilhelm, Maisam Abu-El-Haija, Lin Fei

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is defined as reversible inflammation of the pancreatic parenchyma, subsequently setting off the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). SIRS is an inflammatory state affecting the whole body, defined by the presence of two or more of the following criteria: heart rate >90 beats/min, core temperature <36°C or >38°C, white blood count <4,000/μL or >12,000/μL, and respirations greater than 20 breaths/min or partial pressure of carbon dioxide <32 mm Hg. The top leading causes of AP in children are biliary disease, drug-induced, idiopathic, systemic disease, and trauma, followed by metabolic, hereditary, and infectious diseases.

Nutrition.