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Smoking is underrecognized as a risk factor for chronic pancreatitis
Dhiraj Yadav1, Adam Slivka, Stuart Sherman
1Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. yadavd@upmc.edu
Summary
Physicians frequently overlook smoking as a risk factor for chronic pancreatitis (CP), despite its established link. Increased awareness is crucial for better patient outcomes and management of this condition.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Smoking is a well-established risk factor for chronic pancreatitis (CP).
- Physician recognition of smoking as a risk factor in CP patients is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency with which physicians identify smoking as a risk factor in patients with chronic pancreatitis.
- To explore factors influencing physician recognition of smoking as a CP risk factor.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of prospectively enrolled data from the North American Pancreatitis Study-2 (NAPPS-2) cohort.
- Inclusion of CP patients and controls from 19 US centers.
- Assessment of self-reported smoking status, amount, and duration, alongside physician-recorded etiology and risk factor classification.
Main Results:
- Physicians cited smoking as a risk factor in only 45.3% of ever-smoker CP patients.
- Recognition was higher among current smokers, when alcohol was the classified etiology, and with greater smoking history.
- Significant variability existed in physician decisions, yet CP-smoking association was independent of this classification.
Conclusions:
- Physicians often underrecognize smoking as a significant risk factor for chronic pancreatitis.
- There is a need for enhanced physician education and awareness regarding the link between smoking and CP.
- Improved recognition can lead to better management and prevention strategies for CP.
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