Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of parecoxib in patients with different severities of acute pancreatitis (AP).
Methods: A total of 772 eligible patients with AP were divided into 4 groups: mild and moderately AP (MAP) treated with parecoxib (group A, n = 236), MAP without parecoxib treatment (group B, n = 453), severe AP (SAP) treated with parecoxib (group C, n = 28), and SAP without parecoxib treatment (group D, n = 55). Patients in group A were exactly matched with patients in group B by propensity score matching, similar to the matching between group C and group D.
Results: The morbidity of abdominal infection in group A was significantly lower as compared with that in group B (P < 0.050). The progression of MAP to SAP significantly decreased in group A than group B (P < 0.050). No significant differences were observed between group C and group D. The risk factors independently related to the progression of MAP included alcoholic/high-fat dietary (P = 0.028) and parecoxib administration (P = 0.011).
Conclusions: Early administration of parecoxib could reduce the morbidity of complications among patients with MAP. Parecoxib may prevent the progression of MAP to SAP and improve its outcomes.