Asymptomatic hepatopathy is frequent in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis

Chronic ethanol abuse is a common cause of chronic hepatic and pancreatic diseases in Western countries. The objectives of the present study were to determine the occurrence and the clinical evolution during follow-up of asymptomatic hepatic disease in Brazilian alcoholics with chronic pancreatitis whose most important beverage is cachaça, a beverage distilled from sugar cane.

Thirty-two patients, mean age 35 years, with a mean daily ethanol intake of 204 g during a mean period of 16 years, presenting with chronic pancreatitis without clinical and laboratory features of hepatocellular failure, were followed up during 34 +/- 8 months after undergoing a percutaneous biopsy of the liver and histological examination.

Hepatic injury was observed in 50% of the cases. During the follow-up, only one patient showed clinical or biochemical evidence of hepatic deterioration or complication.

In subjects with a chronic intake of cachaça, the association between asymptomatic alcoholic hepatopathy and chronic alcoholic pancreatitis is frequent (50%). In chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, associated hepatic disease may remain asymptomatic in the majority of the cases and has little influence on the outcome of the patients, at least in a short-term follow-up.