Corticosteroids to Treat Pancreatitis

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study to investigate the effect of intravenous hydrocortisone on clinical outcomes in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. The interventional drug is Hydrocortisone (100 mg of hydrocortisone in 50 milliliters of saline solution). The placebo is saline and is identical in appearance and volume to the interventional drug. Study drug will be administered intravenously every 8 hours for 72 hours as per standard clinical procedures by nursing staff. The patient's sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA) will be assessed for changes over time. Blood will be drawn at several time points to assess biomarkers over time.