title: Free serum DNA is an early predictor of severity in acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cell-free DNA has been investigated as a diagnostic marker in many diseases, including acute conditions. Our hypothesis was that in acute pancreatitis free serum DNA correlates with the extent of pancreatic necrosis and that it may be an early marker of severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Free DNA was measured in sera from 30 patients with acute pancreatitis at admission, on the first, fourth and seventh day following admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the first day following admission patients who would develop severe pancreatitis had significantly higher serum DNA levels than those with mild disease (median 0.271 ng/microL vs. 0.059 ng/microL respectively; P<0.001). This parameter showed very good characteristics as a potential severity predictor (area under ROC curve 0.97). Free serum DNA was in correlation with the extent of pancreatic necrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Free serum DNA correlates with the extent of pancreatic necrosis and is a potential early marker of severe acute pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Rebro University Hospital, Kispatićeva 12, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gornik
authors.forename: Jasenka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gasparović
authors.forename: Gordan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauc
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gornik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004247:DNA