1. [Natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis in north-western Romania].
- Author
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Barbu ST, Vlad C, and Cazacu M
- Subjects
- Abdominal Pain etiology, Adult, Calcinosis etiology, Diabetes Mellitus etiology, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pain Measurement, Pancreatectomy, Pancreatitis, Alcoholic complications, Pancreatitis, Alcoholic mortality, Pancreatitis, Alcoholic physiopathology, Reoperation, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Romania epidemiology, Severity of Illness Index, Steatorrhea etiology, Survival Analysis, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Pancreatitis, Alcoholic diagnosis, Pancreatitis, Alcoholic surgery
- Abstract
Aim: To describe the natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) patients form north-western Romania., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis and a subsequent prospective follow-up (mean = 7.3 years) of 99 patients with ACP. Average duration of ACP was 15.6 years., Results: Patients were mostly men (93%), with a mean age of 42.9 years at the time of operation and 35.7 years at the disease onset. Indications for surgery were: intractable pain (12%), complications (83%) and suspicion of malignancy (5%). During the evolution, 35 patients needed two to four surgical procedures. Calcifications developed in 63.6% of patients, steatorrhea in 41.4% and secondary diabetes in 43.4%., Conclusion: ACP in north-western Romania is characterized by early onset of the disease and a severe evolution with multiple complications needing repeated surgery. The "burnout" of the disease, with calcifications, secondary diabetes and marked exocrine insufficiency leads to lasting pain relief.
- Published
- 2008