Chronic Pancreatitis in Children - Management and Outcomes

With the increasing global prevalence of pediatric chronic pancreatitis (CP), the literature on its disease burden and clinical profile remains limited to low- and middle-income countries. Early diagnosis of CP is frequently missed, particularly in local primary health centers (PHCs), because of nonspecific symptoms. This leads to patients presenting at tertiary hospitals at advanced stages, necessitating hospitalization for complications.

We conducted a retrospective study spanning 8 years on pediatric patients diagnosed with CP with an aim to investigate the etiology, clinical presentation, and multidisciplinary management strategies of CP among pediatric patients at a tertiary care hospital in southern India.

Forty-eight unique patients were diagnosed with CP. Twenty out of forty-eight children experienced multiple admissions, with an average of two readmissions per patient. Pain in the abdomen was the predominant presenting complaint. The most common etiology was idiopathic. Conservative management was employed in 27 patients. Fourteen patients underwent endoscopic intervention, with twelve requiring stenting and 2 requiring drainage procedures. Six patients required pancreatic surgery.

CP in children is a disease with a protracted course and significant disease burden. Pediatric patients should undergo evaluation for CP rather than receiving symptomatic management alone very early in the evaluation of pain in the abdomen at PHCs. Early diagnosis, close monitoring, and aggressive multidisciplinary intervention are imperative to mitigate the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition.