Background and aims: The aim of this study is to analyze factors (especially serum total cholesterol) that can enable early prediction of in-hospital mortality of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).
Methods: Predictive factors (especially serum total cholesterol) for in-hospital mortality were evaluated retrospectively from the clinical data obtained from 338 SAP patients in our hospital from January 1999 to January 2008, who underwent intensive care, blood routine, blood biochemical tests and even computed tomography at the time of admission.
Results: This analysis revealed that within 24 h after admission, serum total cholesterol (TC) was a mortality-reduced factor when it is between 4.37 mmol/L and 5.23 mmol/L (P < 0.05). Evaluated TC was accompanied by decreased C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP > 170 mg/L and albumin (ALB) < 30 g/L increased the fatal outcome (P < 0.05). Low albumin was a stronger predictor than CRP.
Conclusions: Within 24 h after admission, moderate elevation of TC level seemed to increase the resistance to inflammation and hence improved the survival rate in patients with SAP, and reduced the in-hospital mortality. Inflammatory reaction (with or without infection), hypoalbuminemia and TC were prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality; both high levels of CRP and low ALB levels were associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with SAP.