[Risk factors for hyperechogenic páncreas in ecoendoscopy: study of cases and controls]

To identify through ecoendoscopy (EE) hyperecogenic pancreas and to determinate risk factors for it in a sample of patients evaluated between June 2005 and May 2010.

Cases and controls study, retrospective observational study, in a population of 5,495 patients; from them 989 were selected as cases (with an increase of partial or global ecogenicity of the pancreas) and 642 controls (with a normal pancreatic ecopattern). Demographical, clinical and ecoendoscopical variables from both groups were compared; OR were calculated with their 95%CI, after bivariate and multivariate risk factors analyses.

In the studied population, identified risk factors, mostly associated at the multivariate analyses, included: liver steatosis (OR=29.581; 95%CI 17.942-48.770), mixed hepatopathy (OR=10.724; 95%CI 1.634-70.378), hypothyroidism (OR=8.381; 95%CI 2.067-33.977) and smoking (OR=2.790; 95%CI 1.036-7.515). Other factors were: chronic hepatopathy, family history of diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure, age and body mass index.

There are few studies regard the identification of risk factors for pancreatic steatosis using EE. Current findings are similar with others recently reported in other countries, where liver steatosis is a predictor to find hyperecogenic pancreas at the EE (OR=29). However, this study found an association two-fold higher than that previously reported. In addition, is clear that in this study there are multiple factors associated with the finding of hyperecogenic pancreas that should be considered.