Role of Interleukin 17 in Severe Acute Pancreatitis: Human Retrospective Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: Severe acute pancreatitis accounts for 20% of acute pancreatitis episodes and carries a substantial mortality risk. The systematic severity of the disease is driven by a massive cytokine release, with Interleukin-17 (IL-17) acting as a crucial modulator of the pro-inflammatory cascade. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of serum IL-17 at admission and correlate it with multi-organ dysfunctions and clinical-biological outcomes in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 35 patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Demographic, etiological, and clinical-biological baseline characteristics were extracted. Serum IL-17 levels were determined at admission using the ELISA method, and data were statistically analyzed. Results: Significantly higher levels of IL-17 were observed in patients who developed multi-organ failure. Prognostic thresholds were identified via ROC analysis to predict organ dysfunctions: ≥19.77 pg/mL for neurological dysfunction (AUC = 0.814, p = 0.003) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (AUC = 0.756, p = 0.024); ≥18.45 pg/mL for respiratory (p = 0.004) and cardiovascular dysfunctions (AUC = 0.820, p = 0.002); and ≥19.81 pg/mL for renal dysfunction (AUC = 0.735, p = 0.020). Furthermore, univariate binary logistic regression identified elevated serum IL-17 as a significant prognostic factor for mortality among patients admitted to the intensive care unit (OR = 1.062, p = 0.048). Conclusions: Serum IL-17 at admission functions as a significant prognostic biomarker that reflects the severe systemic pro-inflammatory status in severe acute pancreatitis and mirrors the risk of subsequent organ dysfunctions and mortality. Incorporating IL-17 into initial risk stratification protocols may assist clinicians in timely therapeutic escalation.