o Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis includes a number of progressive inflammatory diseases, such as calcifying, chronic obstructive, and steroid-responsive or autoimmune chronic pancreatitis, which lead to pancreatic damage. At its later stages, chronic pancreatitis can result in pancreatic exocrine and endocrine insufficiency and diabetes. Treatment does not stop disease progression; it serves only to relieve pain and address complications. The pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis is not fully understood, but episodes of acute pancreatitis are associated with the development of chronic pancreatitis. Alcohol use, smoking, and genetic factors also influence risk. Although late-state chronic pancreatitis may be obvious, early-stage chronic pancreatitis presents a diagnostic challenge because pancreatic function may not yet be compromised, and the pancreas might appear normal on imaging. Definitive diagnosis requires a combination of diagnostic tools, such as clinical examination, imaging, endoscopic procedures, and laboratory tests of pancreatic function.
Panel test:
o Pancreatic Elastase
o Trypsin
References
1. Majumder S, Chari ST. Chronic pancreatitis. Lancet. 2016; 387(10031): 1957-66. PubMed
2. Gupte A, Goede D, Tuite R, Forsmark CE. Chronic pancreatitis. BMJ. 2018; 361: k2126. PubMed
3. Anaizi A, Hart PA, Conwell DL. Diagnosing Chronic Pancreatitis. Dig Dis Sci. 2017; 62(7): 1713-1720. PubMed
4. Capurso G, Traini M, Piciucchi M, Signoretti M, Arcidiacono PG. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: prevalence, diagnosis, and management. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2019; 12: 129-139. PubMed
5. McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods, 23rd ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2017.
