Clinical observation of immunity in patients with secondary infection from severe acute pancreatitis
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Updated: May 23, 2026

Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Debridement and Drainage for Pancreatic Abscess
Published on: March 15, 2024
1Department of Surgery, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
Objectives:
To observe immune system changes in patients with secondary infection from severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).
Methods:
Seventy-nine patients were recruited. The percentages of CD4+, CD8+, natural killer (NK), HLA-DR+ cells and B lymphocytes, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, were determined. In addition, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) serum levels were determined on days 1, 7, 14, and 28.
Results:
Fifteen patients had a secondary infection. The immune response of the infected group was quite different from the non-infected group, with a higher percentage of CD4+ and HLA-DR+ cells on days 1, 7, 14 and 28, a higher percentage of CD8+ and NK cells on days 14 and 28, a reduced CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and a reduction in B lymphocytes. The cytokine levels in the infected group were different from the non-infected group, with a rise in TNF-α and IL-6 through the first 2 weeks, but dropping at 1 month. IL-10 and IL-4 increased initially, but then dropped over the next 3 weeks.
Conclusions:
An early excessive immune response followed by a subsequent immune deficiency is closely related to secondary SAP infection.
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Acute pancreatitis is characterized by rapid inflammation of the pancreas, often caused by factors like gallstone blockage or excessive alcohol consumption. Chronic pancreatitis, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive inflammation that may result from long-term alcohol abuse, obstructions in the pancreatic duct, or genetic factors.
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Assessment:
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