On-site ERCP availability and cholangitis outcomes: Retrospective cohort study.

Background and study aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is important in acute cholangitis (AC) management but is not available at all hospitals. The association between on-site ERCP availability and cholangitis outcomes is unknown.

Patients and methods: We included adults diagnosed with AC at 27 hospitals in Ontario through the GEMINI network. We collected data on demographics, clinical and laboratory values, and interventions. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, readmission rates, and requirement for percutaneous or surgical decompression. We used multivariable regression analyses to assess the impact of on-site ERCP availability on the primary and secondary outcomes with adjustment for relevant variables.

Results: Our cohort included 4492 patients with a median age of 75. Patients at ERCP sites had higher unadjusted rates of undergoing ERCP (55.7% at ERCP sites, 40.8% at non-ERCP sites). Patients at ERCP sites compared with non-ERCP sites did not have significantly different in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.86-5.55). Compared with non-ERCP sites, patients at ERCP sites with underlying stricturing biliary disease or pancreaticobiliary malignancy (aOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.14-13.58) or severe cholangitis (aOR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.17-4.02) had higher odds of in-hospital mortality. In a post-hoc propensity score-based analysis, there was no significant difference between patients at ERCP sites compared with those at non-ERCP sites for in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions: Patients at ERCP sites compared with non-ERCP sites did not have significantly different mortality. Subgroups of patients with underlying stricturing biliary disease or pancreaticobiliary malignancy and severe cholangitis, who have higher mortality at ERCP sites, warrant further study.