Risk factors for acute pancreatitis in patients with accidental hypothermia

Abstract Background Pancreatic damage is commonly observed as a consequence of accidental hypothermia (core body temperature below 35 °C). We aimed to investigate the risk factors for pancreatic damage and the causal relationship in patients with accidental hypothermia. Methods This retrospective, single-center, observational case-control study was conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care medical center. We investigated patients who were admitted for accidental hypothermia over a course of ten years (January 2008 to December 2017). Results Of the 138 enrolled patients, 70 had elevated serum amylase levels (51%). We observed a correlation between initial core body temperature and serum amylase level (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient −0.302, p  Conclusions We concluded that an initial core body temperature lower than 28.5 °C was a risk factor for acute pancreatitis in accidental hypothermia cases. In such situations, careful follow-up is necessary.