Comparison of inflammatory indices in patients with acute pancreatitis according to age and etiological factors

This study aimed to compare inflammatory indices derived from routine laboratory parameters in patients with acute pancreatitis according to age groups and etiological factors. This retrospective observational study included patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and admitted to the emergency department between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2025. Age, etiological factors, and laboratory findings obtained at admission and within the first 24 hours were analyzed. Patients were classified into two age groups (< 65 years and ≥ 65 years) and as biliary or non-biliary acute pancreatitis. Inflammatory indices, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), pan-immune inflammation value (PIV), leukocyte glucose index (LGI), hemoglobin–albumin–lymphocyte–platelet score (HALP), C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), and CRP–albumin–lymphocyte index (CALLY), were calculated, and comparisons were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test. A total of 564 patients were included. Patients aged ≥ 65 years showed higher inflammatory indices than younger patients in both biliary and non-biliary acute pancreatitis. Inflammatory indices were also higher in patients with biliary etiology across both age groups. In contrast, HALP scores and CALLY values were lower in older patients and in those with biliary acute pancreatitis. Inflammatory indices derived from routine laboratory parameters showed distinct distributions according to age and etiology in acute pancreatitis, indicating age- and etiology-related heterogeneity in laboratory inflammatory profiles. These findings should be interpreted as descriptive and require further validation before any prognostic or clinical implications can be established.