ROLE OF C – REACTIVE PROTEIN, LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE AND D – DIMER IN PREDICTING THE SEVERITY OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS

Abstract

Background

Acute pancreatitis is the most prevalent, potentially fatal illness that requires hospitalization in day-to-day life. Acute pancreatitis can range from mild to severe, with the latter often resulting in complications such as organ failure. Traditional scoring systems, like the APACHE II and Ranson’s criteria, are used to assess severity, but additional biomarkers may improve prognostic accuracy. C – Reactive protein (CRP), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and D – dimer have been implicated in inflammation and coagulation processes. The significance of predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis by these markers is emphasized by this study.

Methodology

This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of one year at our hospital. The study included 105 participants who had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. The parameters studied were patient demographics, presenting symptoms, acute phase reactants such as CRP, LDH and D – dimer and their correlation with serum amylase and lipase levels and CT severity of acute pancreatitis. SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Significant variations in CRP, D-dimer, and LDH levels were seen in this study among different severity groups. Higher levels of CRP were correlated with severe cases (p < 0.001). Elevated LDH levels were significantly associated with increased severity (p < 0.001). D – dimer was found to be markedly elevated in severe cases compared to mild (p < 0.001). Strong positive correlations were found between all three biomarkers and CT severity scores. There was mild positive correlation between the serum amylase, serum lipase and acute phase reactants but of no statistical significance.

Conclusions

In conclusion, this study identifies significant correlations between elevated levels of CRP, LDH, and D – dimer with the severity of acute pancreatitis. These biomarkers may enhance the accuracy of severity assessment beyond traditional scoring systems. Their rapid measurement could facilitate early identification of high-risk patients, guiding timely intervention. Incorporating these biomarkers into clinical practice may improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore their potential as therapeutic targets.