Association Between Serum Triglyceride Levels and the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study

Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a potentially fatal condition with a poor prognosis if it escalates to its severe form. The pathophysiology of AP has been associated with serum triglyceride (TG) levels. However, the relationship between serum triglyceride (TG) levels and AP severity remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum TG levels and the severity of AP. Methods This retrospective study was conducted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from January 2023 to January 2024, among 210 patients with AP. Data was gathered on a self-devised proforma from medical records. The Ranson criteria score was utilized to assess the severity of AP. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with non-severe AP and patients with severe AP on the basis of their Ranson criteria score. Data analysis was done in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) through the chi-squared test, independent t-test, Pearson's correlation, and a simple linear regression analysis. The p-value of less than 0.05 was set as significant. Results Of the 210 patients, 135 (64.28%) had non-severe AP, while 75 (35.72%) had severe AP. Values of the variables including gender, age, white blood cell (WBC) count, serum aspartate transaminase (AST) levels, serum blood glucose levels, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, Ranson score, serum amylase levels, serum lipase levels, body mass index, serum TG levels, and length of hospital stay were significantly (p < 0.05) higher among the patients with severe AP. Pearson's correlation indicated that serum TG levels were positively and significantly associated with the Ranson scores (coefficient {r} = 0.80; p < 0.003). Moreover, linear regression analysis confirmed serum TG level as a significant predictor of AP severity, with a beta coefficient (β) of 3.21 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.82-4.72 (p < 0.002). The frequency of clinical outcomes such as pancreatic necrosis, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality was significantly higher among the patients with elevated serum TG levels. Conclusions In the current study, elevated serum TG level was found to be an independent predictor of the increased severity of AP, as suggested by higher Ranson scores and adverse clinical outcomes among the patients with raised serum TG levels. This current study supports the use of serum TG level as a reliable tool for the prompt identification of high-risk AP patients, facilitating timely interventions and improved outcomes.