• Berat Ebik, Huseyin Kacmaz, Elif Tugba Tuncel, Medeni Arpa, Feyzullah Ucmak, and Muhsin Kaya.
• Department of Gastroenterology, University of Health Sciences, Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Education & Research Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
• J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2022 Oct 1; 32 (10): 1272-1277.

ObjectiveTo determine the factors affecting the procalcitonin level, and its association with the severity of pancreatitis in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP).Study DesignCross-sectional analytical study.Place And Duration Of StudyDivision of Gastroenterology, University of Health Sciences, Diyarbakır Gazi Yasargil Education and Research Hospital and Department of Gastroenterology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey, between April 2017 and June 2021.MethodologyThe study included 214 patients diagnosed with AP according to Atlanta criteria. By checking the PCT and CRP values of the patients in the first 12 hours, the relationship with these scales that predict the severity of pancreatitis was statistically examined.ResultsHundred and fifty-two patients (71.0%) had mild, while 62 patients (29.0%) had severe pancreatitis. According to the Atlanta criteria, the mean PCT level of patients with mild pancreatitis was 1.4±0.7 ng/mL, while the mean PCT level of patients with severe pancreatitis was 9.0±12.3 ng/mL (p<0.001). The diagnostic performance of PCT was better for predicting severe AP. For the 0.94 ng/mL cut-off, PCT had 86.9% sensitivity and 50.7% specificity. (AUC=0.731[95% CI: 0.669-0.811]; p<0.001; LR: 1.7). In patients with severe pancreatitis, the PCT level was 4.7±18.5 ng/mL in patients without concomitant infection and 15.8±8.1 ng/mL in patients with concomitant infection (p<0.001).ConclusionHigh PCT value measured at the time of the first admission to the hospital may predict severe pancreatitis. In addition, a high PCT value at the time of admission to the hospital in patients with pancreatitis may indicate another concomitant infection.Key WordsAcute pancreatitis, Coinfection, Procalcitonin, Severity of pancreatitis.

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