Dietary intake in patients with chronic pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

A progressive reduction in the secretion of pancreatic enzymes in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) results in malabsorption and ultimate malnutrition. However, the pathogenesis of malnutrition is multifactorial and other factors such as chronic inflammation, alcohol excess and poor dietary intake all contribute. Patients may restrict their dietary intake due to poor appetite or to avoid gastrointestinal symptoms and abdominal pain. Whilst up to half of patients with chronic pancreatitis are reportedly malnourished, the dietary intake of patients with CP is relatively understudied and has not been systematically reviewed to date.

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the dietary intakes of patients with CP compared to healthy controls, and to compare the dietary intake of patients with alcohol-related CP and non-alcohol-related CP.

A systematic literature search was performed using EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane review on studies published between 1946 and August 30^th, 2019. Adult subjects with a diagnosis of CP who had undergone dietary assessment were included in the systematic review (qualitative analysis). Studies on patients with other pancreatic diseases or who had undergone pancreatic surgery were not included. Studies comparing the dietary intake of patients with CP to that of healthy controls were included in the meta-analysis (quantitative analysis). Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess quality of studies.

Of 6715 studies retrieved in the search, 23 were eligible for qualitative analysis while 12 were eligible for quantitative analysis. In the meta-analysis, the total energy (calorie) intake of patients with CP was similar to that of healthy controls [mean difference (MD): 171.3; 95% confidence interval (CI): -226.01, 568.5; P = 0.4], however patients with CP consumed significantly fewer non-alcohol calories than controls [MD: -694.1; 95%CI: -1256.1, (-132.1); P = 0.02]. CP patients consumed more protein, but carbohydrate and fat intakes did not differ significantly. Those with alcohol-related CP consumed more mean (standard deviation) calories than CP patients with a non-alcohol aetiology [2642 (1090) kcal and 1372 (394) kcal, respectively, P = 0.046], as well as more protein, fat, but not carbohydrate.

Although patients with CP had similar calorie intake to controls, studies that analysed the contribution of alcohol to energy intake showed that patients with CP consumed fewer non-alcohol calories than healthy controls. A high calorie intake, made up to a large degree by alcohol, may in part contribute to poor nutritional status in CP.