[Problem of mineral insufficiency at chronic pancreatitis in dependence on age]

The high incidence of chronic pancreatitis (CP) which arise at young people of working age, the development of serious complications are pushing for the development of new diagnostic methods and the search for effective ways to treat this disease. In this regard, a relevant and promising direction is the further study of the mechanisms of pathogenesis and the formation of trophological (including mineral) deficiency in CP, followed by the development of comprehensive programs for their correction. Aim is to study mineral status of patients with chronic pancreatitis, depending on their age. Material and methods. A sample of 218 patients (140 women, 78 men) with CP with exocrine insufficiency aged 18 to 72 years was examined. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals who underwent a planned outpatient examination. To assess the mineral status, macronutrients were determined photometrically, iron by the bathophenanthroline method, the remaining trace elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in blood serum. Results and discussion. Patients with CP at all age groups revealed a statistically significant (p<0.001) decrease in serum concentration of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, and iron compared to the level in healthy individuals, which increased with age. In the group of patients older than 60 years, the state of hypomineralemia was detected by the level of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, which required correction of the mineral status. With increasing age of patients with CP, the content of toxic metals (lead and cadmium) increased compared with that in the group of healthy individuals. Сonclusions. The findings suggest that the age of patients with CP is a predictor of mineral deficiency and the accumulation of toxic elements, which must be considered when forming a complex treatment.