ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors of acute pancreatitis (AP) associated with hepatic dysfunction. MethodsWe collected the clinical data of AP patients from June 2012 to December 2014. According to the hepatic function, patients were divided into normal or mildly abnormal group (A), moderately abnormal hepatic function group (group B) and hepatic failure group (group C). We comparatively analyzed the relationship of abnormal hepatic function with causes (biliary, alcoholic, hypertriglyceridemia, and the others), age, gender, abdominal CT findings, laboratory test results, Ranson scores and the severity of acute pancreatitis bedside index (BISAP). ResultsA total of 117 AP patients were included in the study, including 75 males and 42 females aged from 28 to 71 years with the mean age of (53.21±1.35) years. There were 73 patients with mild AP (MAP), 28 with moderately severe AP (MSAP) and 16 with severe AP (SAP). There were 64 patients in group A, 37 in group B, and 16 in group C, in whom 73 patients were with hepatic dysfunction. The ratio of SAP and MSAP in group C was 75.0%, and MAP was 25.0%. There were 52 patients with bilious AP, 39 with alcoholic AP, 19 with hypertriacylglycerolemia AP, and 7 with others; the difference in causes among the three groups were not significant (P > 0.05). The differences in serum amylase, prothrombin time, white blood cells count, serum creatinine, triglycerides, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, and blood urea nitrogen among the three groups were not significant (P > 0.05). ConclusionsAP associated with hepatic dysfunction or failure may be caused by a various of factors. Whether the changes of serum amylase, prothrombin time, white blood cell count, serum creatinine, triglycerides, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, and BISAP scores can be the indexes of the judgment of AP with hepatic dysfunction needs more researches. Proper assessment of the related risk factors helps to prevent serious hepatic dysfunction or even failure.