Clinical Features of Chronic Pancreatitis in Korea : A Multicenter Nationwide Study
Authors
Ryu J.K. ; Lee J.K. ; Kim Y.T. ; Lee D.K. ; Seo D.W. ; Lee K.T. ; Kim H.G. ; Kim J.S. ; Lee H.S. ; Kim T.N. ; Rho M.H. ; Moon J.H. ; Lee J. ; Choi H.S. ; Lee W.J. ; Yoo B.M. ; Yoon Y.B.
Age Distribution ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/diagnosis* ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/epidemiology ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution
Keywords
Chronic pancreatitis ; Chronic pancreatitis, etiology ; Chronic pancreatitis, Korean multicenter study ; Pancreatic cancer
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: No reliable nationwide clinical data about chronic pancreatitis (CP) was available in Korea. The etiology and clinical features of CP were investigated using a multicenter nationwide study.
METHODS: 814 cases of CP were enrolled retrospectively over the past 4 years at 13 hospitals. The following data were obtained from all patients: etiology, symptoms, complications, and surgery.
RESULT: Alcohol (64.3%) was the major cause of CP and idiopathic CP (20.8%) was the second most common form. Mean patient age was 50.6 years and the male:female ratio was 6:1 (24:1 for alcoholic CP vs. 2:1 in idiopathic CP, p < 0.001). Diabetes (31.6%), pseudocysts (28.4%), biliary stricture (13.9%), and pancreatic ascites (6.6%) were the main complications. Of these, diabetes (35 vs. 26%) and pseudocyst (33.7 vs. 21.9%) were more frequent in alcoholic than in idiopathic CP. Pancreatic cancer developed in 25 patients (3.1%) during follow-up and their mean age was 59.1 years.
CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, alcohol is the most common etiology of CP. Moreover, diabetes and pseudocysts are frequent complications, especially in alcoholic CP, and pancreatic cancer development is not infrequent.