ReviewPostoperative drain amylase predicts pancreatic fistula in pancreatic surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objectivesThis study to evaluate the utility of drain fluid amylase as a predictor of PF in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery based on the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula definitions of pancreatic fistula.MethodsA comprehensive search was carried out using Pubmed (Medline), Embase, Web of science and Cochrane database for clinical trials, which studied DFA as a diagnostic marker for pancreatic fistula after pancreatic surgery. Sensitivity, specificity and the diagnostic odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were calculated for each study. Summary receiver-operating curves were conducted and the area under the curve was evaluated.ResultsA total of 10 studies were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of drain fluid amylase Day 1 for the diagnosis of postoperative pancreatic fistula were 81% and 87%, respectively (area under the curve was 0.897, diagnostic odds ratios was 16.83 and 95%CI was 12.66-22.36), the pooled sensitivity and specificity of drain fluid amylase Day 3 for the diagnosis of postoperative pancreatic fistula were 56% and 79%, respectively (area under the curve was 0.668, diagnostic odds ratios was 3.26 and 95%CI was 1.83-5.82)ConclusionsThe drain fluid amylase Day 1, instead of drain fluid amylase Day 3, may be a useful criterion for the early identification of postoperative pancreatic fistula, and a value of drain fluid amylase Day 1 over than 1300 U/L was a risk factor of pancreatic fistula. And the diagnostic accuracy and the proposed cut-off levels of drain fluid amylase Day 1 in predicting the postoperative pancreatic fistula will have to be validated by multicenter prospective studies.