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Progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis: a physician's view
1Department of Medicine, Municipal Clinic of Lüneburg, Germany. lankisch@uni-luneburg.de
The Surgical Clinics of North America
|September 2, 1999
Summary
The progression of acute pancreatitis (AP) to chronic pancreatitis remains controversial. Current research indicates alcohol-induced AP may develop in a normal pancreas, but predictive factors for progression are lacking.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pancreatology
Background:
- The progression of acute pancreatitis (AP) to chronic pancreatitis is a subject of ongoing debate.
- The role of alcohol abuse in the development of AP, specifically whether it affects a healthy or diseased pancreas, is also debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of acute pancreatitis progression to chronic pancreatitis.
- To examine the state of the pancreas in alcohol-induced AP.
- To identify potential predictive parameters for AP progression.
Main Methods:
- Review of postmortem studies on AP after acute alcohol abuse.
- Analysis of experimental studies on AP progression in animals.
- Evaluation of clinical studies on alcohol-induced pancreatitis.
Main Results:
- Postmortem studies suggest AP can occur in a normal pancreas following acute alcohol abuse.
- Experimental animal studies show reversible signs of chronic pancreatitis.
- Clinical studies indicate a potential for alcohol-induced AP to progress to chronic pancreatitis.
Conclusions:
- The progression of AP to chronic pancreatitis is not fully understood.
- Alcohol-induced AP can occur in a healthy pancreas.
- Currently, no reliable parameters exist to predict AP progression.