Diagnostic relevance of interleukin pattern, acute-phase proteins, and procalcitonin in early phase of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis has been suggested as a model for acute pancreatitis (AP), which allows evaluation of early alterations in the time course of the disease. The influence of the clinical course on procalcitonin (PCT), serum amyloid A (SAA), and several proinflammatory and inhibitory cytokines was evaluated in patients with AP following ERCP. Blood samples were prospectively collected from patients undergoing ERCP.