08-18-2011, 09:04 AM
The correct answer is A. Acute pancreatitis can either be relatively mild, or a severe condition that may cause death.
Explanation: in severe cases, leakage of enzyme-containing pancreatic secretions into the tissues/and or blood stream causes cleavage of precursors, thus strongly activating the complement and inflammatory cascades. These, in turn, produce abundant cytokines, which worsen the symptoms. The clinical result is similar to sepsis, with risk of multi-organ failure and death.
Explanation: in severe cases, leakage of enzyme-containing pancreatic secretions into the tissues/and or blood stream causes cleavage of precursors, thus strongly activating the complement and inflammatory cascades. These, in turn, produce abundant cytokines, which worsen the symptoms. The clinical result is similar to sepsis, with risk of multi-organ failure and death.