Role of Clinical, Biochemical, and Imaging Parameters in predicting the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis.

AIM

The assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) is important for proper management of the disease and for its prognosis. The aim was to correlate clinical, biochemical, and imaging diagnostic parameters and evaluate their prognostic values in the early assessment of severity of AP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We prospectively studied 128 consecutive patients with AP. The predictors were clinical, biochemical, and imaging diagnostic parameters. The outcome measure was the occurrence of complications. Abdominal sonogram, contrast-enhanced computer tomography, and pancreatitis-specific clinical and laboratory findings were done.

RESULTS

According to the Atlanta classification, 84 patients (65.6%) had mild and 44 (34.4%) had severe AP. The severity markers were significantly different between the mild and the severe groups (p < 0.001). Leukocyte count, serum albumin level, C-reactive protein (CRP), Ranson, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), and Glasgow score were the factors associated with radiological severity grade. Leukocyte count, CRP, Ranson score, APACHE II, and Glasgow score were the factors associated with the number and appearance of acute fluid collections (AFCs). A significant association was found between the number of AFCs and the occurrence of complications [odds ratio 4.4; 95% confidence interval 2.5-7.6]. Hospital stay was significantly longer in the group with severe disease as compared with the group with mild disease (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Clinical, biochemical, and imaging diagnostic parameters are related to the clinical course of AP and they can predict its severity. This allows us to determine the severity of the disease and to target the patients with high scores for close monitoring and more aggressive intervention. Zerem D, Zerem O, Zerem E. Role of Clinical, Biochemical, and Imaging Parameters in predicting the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2017;7(1):1-5.