The anergic state as a predictor of pancreatic sepsis.

From 1984 to 1987, 187 patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) were studied. All patients were stratified according to Ranson's criteria upon admission and were followed up by performing a CT scan weekly. One hundred and thirty-eight patients had 3 or less Ranson's criteria (non-severe acute pancreatitis = NSAP) and 49 presented 4 or more (severe acute pancreatitis = SAP). Ninety-six percent of the patients with (p less than 0.0001). Of the 49 patients with SAP, 39 developed pancreatic or peripancreatic NSAP were reactive to skin tests on the third week, while 4% remained anergic necrosis and were operated. Twenty-two of these patients had positive cultures demonstrating the presence of bacteria in the tissue samples. One hundred percent of the infected patients remained anergic until surgery, while only 40% of those with negative cultures remained anergic (p less than 0.05). Mortality rate correlated well with skin test responses, being 31% in anergic patients while only 5% in reactive subjects. Sustained anergic state (AS), sequentially checked, is associated with a high incidence of pancreatic sepsis.