C-reactive protein: rethinking its role in evaluating the severity of hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis.

Objectives: The goal of this study is to evaluate the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in predicting the severity of hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP) compared with non-HLAP (NHLAP).

Methods: A total of 1073 episodes of acute pancreatitis between July 2009 and June 2013 were retrospectively studied. The clinical characteristics and laboratory data of HLAP and NHLAP were statistically analyzed on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, especially the CRP level.

Results: There was a significant difference in CRP levels between HLAP and NHLAP (P < 0.01) on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. The cutoff value for CRP in HLAP should be greater than NHLAP to obtain an accurate prediction of severity. Higher serum CRP levels in HLAP cases were correlated with higher incidences of diabetes and fatty liver and lower incidences in women, elevated very-low-density lipoprotein levels, and lower high-density lipoprotein levels.

Conclusions: The significant difference in CRP cutoff values in predicting severity between patients with HLAP and NHLAP should be noted in the clinic.