To investigate the serum levels of chemerin and procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP), and to explore their changes and significance.

A total of 82 HLAP patients admitted to the First People′s Hospital of Suqian from January 2016 to July 2018 were selected. The patients were classified into severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients (34 cases) and mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) patients (48 cases). Fifty healthy adults were included as a healthy control group. Serum levels of chemerin were measured using an ELISA kit, and the levels of PCT were measured by immunoassay. The t-test was used to compare serum chemerin and PCT between the healthy control group, MAP group, and SAP group, as well as between the death and non-death groups. Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between serum chemerin and PCT, as well as between serum chemerin or PCT and blood biochemical indicators or the severity of acute pancreatitis.

Compared with the healthy control group [(303.7±106.9) μg/L], serum chemerin level significantly increased in the MAP group [(472.9 ± 158.6) μg/L] and SAP group [(653.4±229.3) μg/L], and pairwise comparisons were statistically significant (P<0.01). Compared with the healthy control group [(1.78±0.95) μg/L], serum PCT also increased significantly in the MAP group [(5.29±2.54) μg/L] and SAP group [(8.21±4.23) μg/L], and pairwise comparisons were statistically significant (P<0.01). Serum levels of chemerin were positively correlated with those of PCT (r=0.325, P=0.018). Serum level of chemerin were positively correlated with serum levels of TG, total cholesterol, and CRP (r=0.521, 0.378, 0.423, P=0.003, 0.005, 0.005), but had no correlation with serum amylase or lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.154、0.215, P>0.05); Serum levels of PCT were positively correlated with serum levels of CRP and lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.420, 0.430, P=0.004, 0.004), but had no correlation with serum TG, total cholesterol, and amylase (r=0.182, 0.144, 0.210, P>0.05). Serum levels of chemerin and PCT were both positively correlated with APACHE II and Ranson score (r=0.370, 0.428, P=0.024, 0.013; r=0.376, 0.320, P=0.018, 0.021). Six patients died of SAP. There was no significant difference in chemerin or PCT level between the dead patients and non-dead patients [(770.6±182.3) μg/L vs (678.3±246.5) μg/L, (10.60±3.87) μg/L vs (7.45±3.58) μg/L, P>0.05].

In HLAP patients, serum chemerin and PCT levels significantly increase and positively correlate with disease severity. These results suggest that chemerin and PCT may act as potential serum markers for HLAP severity evaluation.