Diagnostic and Clinical Value of Ultrasound Combined With MMP9 in Acute Pancreatitis: A Bioinformatics and Clinical Study

This study identifies differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with acute pancreatitis (AP) through bioinformatics analysis and evaluates the clinical value of combining ultrasound and MMP9 for diagnosing AP, comparing it with ultrasound alone. DEGs related to AP were identified using the GSE194331 dataset from the GEO database and inflammatory-related genes from GeneCards. The Jvenn tool was used for intersection analysis with known AP biomarkers. A total of 116 suspected AP patients and 70 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum MMP9 levels were measured by ELISA, and ultrasound was performed using the ALOKA Doppler device. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a significant correlation between MMP9 and AP biomarkers (p < 0.01). MMP9 levels were significantly higher in AP patients (p < 0.001) and correlated with disease severity. Ultrasound had a sensitivity of 68.35% and specificity of 37.84%, while MMP9 showed a sensitivity of 79.75% and specificity of 40.54%. Combining ultrasound and MMP9 significantly increased sensitivity to 91.14%, though specificity remained low (21.62%). ROC analysis showed an AUC increase from 0.5310 (ultrasound alone) to 0.7095 (combined). The combination of ultrasound and MMP9 improves diagnostic sensitivity for AP and correlates with disease severity, offering significant clinical value for early diagnosis and treatment.