Increased Interleukin-23/17 Axis and C-reactive Protein Are Associated With Severity of Acute Pancreatitis in Patients

Objective: The interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis plays an important role in various inflammatory conditions but its function in acute pancreatitis (AP) is not well understood. The present study investigated the relationship between serum levels of IL-23, IL-17, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients and the severity of AP. Methods: Eighty-five patients with AP were categorized into mild group, moderately severe group, and severe group according to the revised Atlanta classification, 2012. Serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients 48 hours after admission. The CRP levels of patients were also measured on admission and 48 hours after admission. Results: The serum levels of CRP of patients on admission and 48 hours after admission and levels of IL-23 and IL-17 of patients 48 hours after admission increased alone with the severity of AP, respectively (P < 0.01). The serum levels of IL-23 and IL-17 in the patients were correlated with CRP levels (r(2) = 0.234, r(2) = 0.552, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The serum levels of IL-17, IL-23, and CRP are correlated with the severity of AP and represent valuable prognostic factors in the assessment of disease severity of patients with AP.