Therapeutic effects of rhubarb enema on Th17 cell and systemic inflammatory response in clinical acute pancreatitis

Table 1 Baseline patient characteristics

Characteristics	Rhubarb group (n = 144)	Controls group (n = 140)
Sex (male/female)	80/64	77/63
Age (year)	52 (36-64)	55 (37-52)
Cause of pancreatitis, n (%)
Alcohol abuse	18 (12.5)	13 (9.3)
Hypertriglyceridemia	116 (80.6)	121 (86.4)
Idiopathic	10 (6.9)	6 (4.3)
Disease severity at grouping
BISAP score	2.81 ± 1.71	2.93 ± 1.94
CTSI score	7 (5-8)	6 (5-7)
APACHE II score	17.1 (14.2-22.9)	19.2 (15.3-21.5)
SOFA score	8.4 (6.9-17.2)	7.6 (6.1-16.7)
PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg)	241.63 ± 19.97	223.16 ± 41.67
Other features at grouping
WBC (109/L)	18 (15-22)	17 (13-24)
PCT (ng/mL)	4.27 ± 0.76	3.03 ± 1.09
IAP (cmH2O)	29.31 (21-33)	27.47 (19-36)

Data are expressed as median (interquartile range) or mean ± SEM unless otherwise indicated. APACHE II: Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II; SOFA: Sequential organ failure assessment; WBC: White blood cells; BISAP: Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Physiology; CTSI: Balthazar Computed Tomography Severity Index; PCT: Procalcitonin; IAP: Intra-abdominal pressure.

Table 2 Correlation coefficients between Balthazar Computed Tomography Severity Index score and cytokines

	CTSI score	IL-6	IL-17A	TNF-α	IL-8	IL-1β	CXCL-1	Th17	IL-10
CTSI score		0.26 (P = 0.02)	0.30 (P < 0.01)	0.28 (P = 0.01)	0.42 (P < 0.01)	0.12 (P > 0.05)	0.06 (P > 0.05)	0.30 (P < 0.01)	-0.26 (P < 0.01)
IL-6			0.42 (P < 0.01)	0.06 (P > 0.05)	0.05 (P > 0.05)	0.07 (P > 0.05)	-0.11 (P > 0.05)	0.37 (P < 0.01)	-0.34 (P < 0.01)
IL-17A				0.53 (P < 0.01)	0.11 (P > 0.05)	0.27 (P < 0.01)	0.12 (P > 0.05)	0.71 (P < 0.01)	-0.52 (P < 0.01)
TNF-α					0.09 (P > 0.05)	0.16 (P > 0.05)	-0.03 (P > 0.05)	0.44 (P < 0.01)	-0.32 (P < 0.01)
IL-8						0.04 (P > 0.05)	0.02 (P > 0.05)	0.08 (P > 0.05)	-0.15 (P > 0.05)
IL-1β							0.39 (P < 0.01)	0.51 (P < 0.01)	-0.08 (P > 0.05)
CXCL-1								0.35 (P < 0.01)	-0.52 (P < 0.01)
Th17									-0.23 (P < 0.01)

CTSI: Balthazar Computed Tomography Severity Index; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IL: Interleukin.

Table 3 Clinical end points, n (%)

Characteristics	Rhubarb group (n = 144)	Controls group (n = 140)
Primary end point
Death failure	2 (1.39)	4 (2.86)
Secondary end points
Gastrointestinal function restoration to tolerate enteral nutrition time (day)	5 (4-9)	8 (5-14)
Intraperitoneal hemorrhage	3 (2.08)	5 (3.57)
Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage	12 (8.33)	23 (16.43)a
Deep venous thrombosis	7 (4.86)	21 (15.00)b
ICU stay (day)	13 (7-16)	18 (6-21)

^aP < 0.05.

^bP < 0.01.

ICU: Intensive care unit.