The Study
Bidirectional Relationship Between Reduced Blood pH and Acute Pancreatitis: A Translational Study of Their Noxious Combination
This study found that people with acute pancreatitis who had lower blood acidity tended to get sicker and were more likely to die. But it doesn't prove that the low acidity made them sicker — it might just mean their illness was already worse. It's like noticing that people with broken legs are more likely to be in the hospital — the broken leg doesn't cause them to be in the hospital, it's the other way around.
Analysis score
Maximum 85 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
When your blood gets too acidic, it makes pancreatitis — a dangerous inflammation of the pancreas — much more severe and deadly.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 554 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — even small drops in blood pH (like from 7.4 to 7.3) are linked to much higher chances of dying or staying in the hospital longer.
- 2Lower blood pH = 55% higher death risk per 0.1 drop; mice with acidic blood had 2x more pancreatic damage and worse swelling when they got pancreatitis.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Physiology
Year
2018
Authors
Z. Rumbus, E. Tóth, L. Pótó, Á. Vincze, G. Veres, L. Czakó, Emőke Oláh, K. Márta, A. Mikó, Z. Rakonczay, Z. Balla, J. Kaszaki, I. Foldesi, J. Maléth, P. Hegyi, A. Garami
Related Content
Claims (6)
In patients with acute pancreatitis, lower arterial blood pH levels are directly linked to higher death rates, with every 0.1 drop in pH corresponding to a 55.4% increase in the risk of death.
In mice with existing metabolic acidosis, severe acute pancreatitis lowers arterial blood pH, intensifying the acidosis and creating a cycle where the disease worsens the condition.
In patients with acute pancreatitis, lower blood acidity is linked to higher death rates, more severe illness, and longer hospital stays.
In mice, long-term acid buildup in the blood worsens pancreatic injury during acute pancreatitis, leading to more tissue swelling, cell death, and immune cell presence, while acute pancreatitis further lowers blood pH in mice already with acid buildup, showing the two conditions intensify each other.
In mice with acute pancreatitis, having abnormally low blood pH before the onset of inflammation leads to higher levels of serum amylase, more fluid buildup in the pancreas, more tissue death, and greater white blood cell presence than in mice with normal blood pH.
People with metabolic dysfunction have a slightly more acidic blood pH than people without metabolic dysfunction, even though both groups remain within the normal range.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.