Objective To explore the consistency and clinical application value of Balthazar CT classification and extra-pancreatic inflammation on computed tomography (EPIC) score in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods A total of 100 continuous patients with AP were included in the Hainan Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine from April 2019 to April 2021, who were divided into mild (n=41), moderate (n=37), and severe (n=22) AP, and all of them underwent the abdominal CT examination. The Balthazar CT classification score, EPIC score, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE-Ⅱ) score were compared and the correlations were analyzed among 3 groups. The consistency of Balthazar CT classification score or EPIC score and clinical classification was analyzed. Results There were statistical differences in the Balthazar CT classification score [(1.58±0.29) points vs. (2.43±0.36) points vs. (3.20±0.51) points, F=13.261, P<0.001], EPIC score [(2.56±0.30) points vs. (4.29±0.77) points vs. (5.68±0.82) points, F=14.672, P<0.001], and APACHE-Ⅱ score [(21.40±6.22) points vs. (29.13±7.31) points vs. (39.37±8.18) points, F=13.906, P<0.001] among mild, moderate, and severe 3 groups. The points of the three indexes increased statistically with the severity of AP (P<0.05). The Balthazar CT classification score was positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score and EPIC score (r=0.537, P<0.001; r=0.609, P<0.001), and EPIC score was positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score (r=0.582, P<0.001). The Kappa values of Balthazar CT classification score or EPIC score and clinical classification for assessing the severity of AP were 0.731 and 0.704, respectively. Conclusions From the preliminary results of this study, Balthazar CT classification score and EPIC score increase obviously with the aggravation of AP and which has a higher consistency, and are positively correlated with APACHE-Ⅱ score. It is suggested that abdominal CT has a good clinical application value in the assessment of severity of AP.

Citation： WANG Xin, XIA Zhiying, YANG Guoyun. Clinical application value of Balthazar CT classification and EPIC score in acute pancreatitis. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BASES AND CLINICS IN GENERAL SURGERY, 2022, 29(7): 939-942. doi: 10.7507/1007-9424.202109076 Copy