ObjectiveTo explore the protective effects of abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) on pancreatitis-associated liver injury in the early phase of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). MethodsOne hundred and fourteen consecutive patients with SAP, admitted to the General Hospital of Western Theater Command from January 2015 to January 2021, were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into the APD group (n=61) and the non-APD group (n=53) based on whether they underwent APD treatment within 72 h of admission. The variables including baseline data, liverfunction tests, inflammation indexes, severity scores and other variables of the two groups were statistically analyzed. ResultsThe hospital mortality in the APD group was lower than that in the non-APD group (8.2% vs. 22.6%, P=0.031). These severity scores (including APACHE Ⅱ score, Ranson score and modified Marshall score) and inflammation indexes (including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α) in the APD group were all lower than those in the non-APD group (P＜0.05). In terms of liver function related indexes, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL) after treatment in both two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P＜0.05). The levels of ALT, AST, TBIL and DBIL after treatment in the APD group were lower than those in the non-APD group (P＜0.05), and the levels of prealbumin and albumin after treatment in the APD group were higher than those in the non-APD group (P＜0.05), but there were no significant differences in the levels of alkaline phosphatase, GGT and 5′ -nucleotidase after treatment in the two group (P＞0.05). ConclusionFor SAP patients with ascitic fluid, application of APD can attenuate liver injury and improve liver function in the early stage of SAP.