The Relationship Between PANC-3 Score and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 Score in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis

Abstract

Background/Aims: Early identification and severity assessment of acute pancreatitis (AP) are crucial for preventing adverse clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and clinical applicability of the PANC-3 and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) scoring systems in estimating disease severity in patients with AP. This study addresses the limited number of studies assessing the use of NRS-2002 in this specific clinical condition.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was executed between July and October 2023 and included patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of AP. A total of 203 patients over the age of 18 were enrolled. Patients with active malignancy, chronic liver disease, or pregnancy were excluded.

Results: Patients with a PANC-3 score of 3 or an NRS-2002 score of 3 or higher experienced significantly more local and/or systemic complications, longer hospital stays, and a greater need for higher-level intensive care compared to those with lower scores (P < .001). The NRS-2002 score ≥3 was significantly linked with increased mortality (P < .001) and was described as an independent risk factor in multivariate analysis (P = .003).

Conclusion: The PANC-3 score provides a practical tool for early prediction of AP severity and may help prevent disease progression with timely intervention. The findings suggest that patients with an NRS-2002 score of 3 or higher are at nutritional risk and tend to have a more severe process of AP. Early assessment of nutritional status and appropriate nutritional support may reduce disease severity in these patients.

Cite this article as: Ercan A, Kınacı Gümüşçubuk Y, Yılmaz Çakmak N, Kılıç ZMY. The relationship between PANC-3 score and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 score in patients with acute pancreatitis. Turk J Gastroenterol. Published online January 19, 2026. doi:10.5152/tjg.2026.25506.