Objective: To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), C reactive protein (CRP) and prognosis in elderly patients with severe pneumonia. Methods: From May 2015 to September 2017, 82 cases with severe pneumonia in Shanxi Dayi Hospital were selected as severe pneumonia group, during the same period, 67 elderly patients with common pneumonia in Shanxi Dayi Hospital were selected as common pneumonia group.According to the outcome of severe pneumonia, the patients were divided into survival group and death group.The serum levels of IL-10, IL-6, TNF-alpha and CRP were detected.The correlation between the inflammatory factors and the prognosis of elderly patients with severe pneumonia was analyzed. Results: The serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, CRP in the severe pneumonia group were (88.34±11.62)pg/mL, (16.87±3.52)pg/mL, (69.35±10.26)ng/L, (27.81±5.54)mg/L, respectively, which in the common pneumonia group were (35.61±10.45)pg/mL, (8.12±1.37)pg/mL, (27.79±6.34)ng/L, (5.93±1.42)mg/L, respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=12.154, 8.637, 10.872, 6.993, all P<0.05). Of 82 elderly patients with severe pneumonia, 12 cases died, 70 cases survived, the serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, CRP in the survival group were (75.93±10.21)pg/mL, (12.93±2.31)pg/mL, (58.32±8.17)ng/L, (23.42±3.38)mg/L, respectively, which in the death group were (94.11±15.32)pg/mL, (19.12±3.78)pg/mL, (72.16±11.59)ng/L, (34.91±6.54)mg/L, respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=10.976, 5.618, 8.742, 9.013, all P<0.05). The correlation analysis showed that IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, CRP were positively correlated with the prognosis of senile patients with severe pneumonia (r=0.793, 0.332, 0.528, 0.814, all P<0.05). Conclusion There is a significant correlation between IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, CRP and prognosis of elderly patients with severe pneumonia, which is helpful for the prognosis evaluation of elderly patients with severe pneumonia.