ObjectiveTo investigate the role of D-dimer in predicting the prognosis of the patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). MethodsThe medical records of 324 patients with a diagnosis of AP in West China Hospital from April to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsOverall mortality rate was 3%, the median hospital stay was (11±3) days, and the median Intensive Care Unit stay was (1±1) day. The prothrombin time, activated partial prothrombin time, fibrinogen, international normalized ratio, antithrombinⅢ, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and procalitonin level in the organ failure (OF) patients were significantly higher than those in the non-OF patients (P<0.05). The D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin level in the patients with infection were significantly higher than those in the non-infectious onse (P<0.05). The D-dimer and procalcitonin level in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survivor group (P<0.05). D-dimer and procalcitonin level increased as the grade of AP increased (P<0.05); the difference in C-reactive protein between the light and middle type was not significant (P>0.05), while was significant between middle and severe, and light and severe (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of OF predicted by D-dimer was higher than C-reactive protein and procalcitonin; AUC of infection predicted by D-dimer was lower than procalcitonin; AUC of death predicted by D-dimer was higher than C-reactive protein but lower than procalcitonin. ConclusionD-dimer measurement is a useful, easy, and inexpensive early prognostic marker of the complications and death of AP. D-dimer provide a more accurate assessment of prognosis than C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in patients with AP.