Diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis

A case series of fluoroscopy-guided neurolytic splanchnic nerve block for chronic pancreatitis pain

Context

Splanchnic nerve block (SPN) with local anesthetic and steroid is used to relieve the pain of chronic pancreatitis. However, it does not provide long-lasting relief. We hypothesize that the use of 70% alcohol will give adequate analgesia for more than months.

Aims

The primary objective was to find out the analgesic efficacy of the use of 70% alcohol with SPN. Secondary objectives included the incidence of side effects, analgesic consumption postintervention, quality of life (QOL) assessed via a self-reported quality of life scale, and repeat block during the 1-year follow-up period.

Settings and Design

Retrospective analysis of all patients with chronic pancreatitis who received bilateral SPN over the last 4 years.

Methods and Materials

SPN was performed using the posterior retrocrural approach with the patient in the prone position as described in the literature using a 23 G × 90 mm spinal needle bilaterally at the level of T12 using C-arm/fluoroscopy guidance. Data were collected from the procedure book of the pain clinic and medical records.

Statistical Analysis Used

Quantitative data for change in pre- to post-block VAS score was collected using the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed ranks test.

Results

The baseline VAS, post-procedure VAS, and VAS at 3 months follow-up was 7.69 ± 1.3,2.44 ± 0.96 and 1.56 ± 1.15. A pairwise comparison of VAS performed between baseline and immediate post-procedure, baseline, and VAS at 3 months was found to be highly significant.

Conclusions

Fluoroscopy-guided neurolytic SPN with 70% alcohol gives significant pain relief for more than 3 months. It also leads to improvement in 3 months QOL.

Comparison of pancreatic enzyme abnormalities and protease-activated receptor-2-positive eosinophils in the duodenum of patients with functional dyspepsia-irritable bowel syndrome overlap with functional dyspepsia alone in Asian populations

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Some patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders exhibit pancreatic dysfunctions and pancreatic enzyme abnormalities. Thus, we aimed to clarify whether significant differences in clinical characteristics, prevalence of pancreatic enzyme abnormalities, duodenal inflammation, and protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) expression levels related to hypersensitivity exist between functional dyspepsia (FD) alone and FD-irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) overlap group.

METHODS

Ninety-three patients based on the Rome IV criteria, FD alone (n = 44) and FD overlapped with IBS (n = 49) group were enrolled. The patients scored their own clinical symptoms after consuming high-fat meals. Serum trypsin, PLA2, lipase, p-amylase, and elastase-1 levels were measured. PAR2, eotaxin-3, and TRPV4 mRNA levels in duodenum were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction methods. PRG2- and PAR2 in the duodenum were evaluated using immunostaining.

RESULTS

FD score and global GSRS in patients with FD-IBS overlap were significantly higher than FD alone. Although the prevalence of pancreatic enzyme abnormalities in patients with FD alone was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that in FD-IBS overlap, the ratio of aggravation of clinical symptoms following high-fat intake in patients with FD-IBS overlap was significantly higher (P = 0.007) than that in patients with FD alone. PAR2- and PRG2-double positive cells were localized in the degranulated eosinophils in the duodenum of patients with FD-IBS overlap. The number of PAR2- and PRG2-double positive cells in FD-IBS overlap was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than FD alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic enzyme abnormalities and PAR2 expression on degranulated eosinophils infiltrations in the duodenum may be associated with the pathophysiology of patients with FD-IBS overlap in Asian populations.

Obstructive pancreatolithiasis in a cat with triaditis and concurrent hypercalcaemia

Case summary

A 7-year-old neutered female domestic longhair cat was presented for further investigation of suspected hepatobiliary disease. Increases in serum 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6'-methylresorufin) ester lipase and hepatobiliary enzymes, with concurrent hypoalbuminaemia, were documented on blood biochemistry. Abdominal ultrasonography findings were consistent with acute pancreatitis with multiple pancreatoliths visualised within the pancreatic duct. Treatment for suspected triaditis was initiated with a hydrolysed protein diet, amoxicillin-clavulanate, hepatoprotectants and buprenorphine. Fifty-three days later, the patient presented with hypercalcaemia and obstructive pancreatolithiasis, and was euthanased. Post-mortem examination revealed severe chronic active pancreatitis with moderate chronic lymphocytic, plasmacytic cholangiohepatitis and mild chronic lymphocytic-plasmacytic duodenal enteritis (triaditis). Multiple calcium carbonate pancreatoliths present within the pancreatic ducts had resulted in pancreatic duct obstruction.

Relevance and novel information

Pancreatolithiasis is a very rare condition in cats, with only five reports to date. In human medicine, pancreatolithiasis is often a sequala to chronic pancreatitis, seen in up to 50-90% of patients. However, in cats the aetiology of pancreatolithiasis, and indeed chronic pancreatitis, is poorly understood. This report describes a case of obstructive pancreatolithiasis in a cat with histopathological confirmation of triaditis and is the first report of hypercalcaemia in a cat with obstructive pancreatolithiasis. This further adds to the evidence base that pancreatolithiasis may have a similar pathogenesis to humans and can develop secondarily to chronic pancreatitis in cats.

IVS8-5T Allele of CFTR is the Risk Factor in Chronic Pancreatitis, Especially in Idiopathic Chronic Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator IVS8-5T gene variation appears to be associated with a higher risk of chronic pancreatitis (CP); however, there is inconsistency between previous reported studies. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate this relationship.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed and WANFANG databases were searched for the case-control studies that contained Patients with CP with IVS8-5T variation. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the relevance of IVS8-5T gene variation and CP.

RESULTS

Analysis showed that the frequency of the 5T allele was significantly higher in CP subjects than that in control subjects (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.13-1.81, I² = 1.2%). Based on the subgroup analysis stratified by etiology, the 5T allele was associated with a higher risk of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (ICP) (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.18-2.76, I² = 0.0%) and not alcoholic CP (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 0.98-4.66, I² = 0.0%). Further study indicated that the 5T allele was related to higher ICP prevalence in the European population (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.06-3.03, I² = 0.0%). In contrast, there was no significant difference between ICP subjects and healthy controls within the Asian population (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 0.91-3.72, I² = 38.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator IVS8-5T is a risk factor in patients with CP. IVS8-5T variation may play a significant role in the occurrence of ICP, especially in the European population.

Oxidative stress induces apoptosis via calpain- and caspase-3-mediated cleavage of ATM in pancreatic acinar cells

Oxidative stress-induced DNA cleavage and apoptosis in pancreatic acinar cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. Thus, an efficient DNA repair process is key to prevention of apoptotic pancreatic acinar cell death. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a sensor of DNA breaks, functions by recruiting DNA repair proteins to initiate the DNA repair process. In the present study, we investigated whether H₂O₂ produced by the action of glucose oxidase on α-D-glucose (G/GO) induces apoptosis in pancreatic acinar AR42J cells through an alteration of the level of ATM. As a result, G/GO induced apoptosis by promoting a loss of cell viability, increase in Bax, decrease in Bcl-2, cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and fragmentation of DNA. In addition, ATM cleavage along with elevated levels of calpain and caspase-3 activity was induced by G/GO. By using ATM siRNA, we demonstrated that reduction in ATM levels enhanced G/GO-induced apoptosis. Moreover, inhibition of calpain activity by calpeptin or calpastatin, or by inhibition of caspase-3 with z-DEVD, suppressed G/GO-induced apoptosis and ATM cleavage. Collectively, these findings suggest that proteolysis of ATM is the underlying mechanism of apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells caused by exposure to oxidative stress.

Deficient Glucagon Response to Hypoglycemia During a Mixed Meal in Total Pancreatectomy/Islet Autotransplantation Recipients

CONTEXT

Total pancreatectomy and intrahepatic islet autotransplantation (TP/IAT) is performed to alleviate severe abdominal pain, avoid narcotic use, maintain islet function, and avoid diabetes in patients with chronic pancreatitis. However, many TP/IAT recipients complain of postprandial hypoglycemia.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to discover the mechanisms of this problem.

DESIGN

Participants consumed a triple-isotope mixed meal.

SETTING

This study was performed in a hospital research unit.

PARTICIPANTS

We studied 10 TP/IAT recipients and 10 age- and body mass index-matched control subjects. Seven of 10 recipients had a history of postprandial hypoglycemia.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were given a [1-13C]-labeled mixed meal and two tracer infusions ([6,6-2H2]- and [6-3H]-glucose).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Glucose kinetics and concentrations of regulatory hormones were determined.

RESULTS

Immediately after the meal, peak glucose was elevated in recipients compared with control subjects [266 ± 20 mg/dL (14.8 ± 1.1 mmol/L) vs 185 ± 13 mg/dL (10.3 ± 0.7 mmol/L); P = 0.01]. However, mean Δ glucose for TP/IAT recipients between minutes 240 and 360 postprandially was significantly lower than for control subjects (P < 0.05); six of the seven recipients with a history of hypoglycemia experienced abnormally low postprandial Δ glucose. Δ Glucagon remained unchanged (minutes 240 to 360; P = 0.58) in TP/IAT recipients despite abnormal decreases in postprandial glucose. Radioisotopic studies revealed that meal appearance, glucose disappearance, and endogenous glucose production in TP/IAT recipients were not different from control subjects.

CONCLUSION

Initially high glucose levels followed by hypoglycemia with an absent glucagon response is a mechanistic sequence that contributes to postprandial hypoglycemia after TP/IAT.

Deficient Endogenous Glucose Production During Exercise After Total Pancreatectomy/Islet Autotransplantation

CONTEXT

Total pancreatectomy followed by intrahepatic islet autotransplantation (TP/IAT) is performed to alleviate severe, unrelenting abdominal pain caused by chronic pancreatitis, to improve quality of life, and to prevent diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the cause of exercise-induced hypoglycemia that is a common complaint in TP/IAT recipients.

DESIGN

Participants completed 1 hour of steady-state exercise.

SETTING

Hospital research unit.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

We studied 14 TP/IAT recipients and 10 age- and body mass index-matched control subjects.

INTERVENTIONS

Peak oxygen uptake (VO2) was determined via a symptom-limited maximal cycle ergometer test. Fasted subjects then returned for a primed [6,6-2H2]-glucose infusion to measure endogenous glucose production while completing 1 hour of bicycle exercise at either 40% or 70% peak VO2.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Blood samples were obtained to measure glucose metabolism and counterregulatory hormones before, during, and after exercise.

RESULTS

Although the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion did not differ between recipients and control subjects, aerobic capacity was significantly higher in controls than in recipients (40.4 ± 2.0 vs 27.2 ± 1.4 mL/kg per minute; P < 0.001). This difference resulted in workload differences between control subjects and recipients to reach steady-state exercise at 40% peak VO2 (P = 0.003). Control subjects significantly increased their endogenous glucose production from 12.0 ± 1.0 to 15.2 ± 1.0 µmol/kg per minute during moderate exercise (P = 0.01). Recipients did not increase endogenous glucose production during moderate exercise (40% peak VO2) but succeeded during heavy exercise, from 10.1 ± 0.4 to 14.8 ± 2.0 µmol/kg per minute (70% peak VO2; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Failure to increase endogenous glucose production during moderate exercise may be a key contributor to the hypoglycemia TP/IAT recipients experience.

Serum Amylase Levels in Relation to Islet β Cell Function in Patients with Early Type 2 Diabetes

Objective

The insulin-pancreatic acinar axis may play a major role in pancreatic function. Amylase is an exocrine enzyme that is produced by pancreatic acinar cells, and low serum amylase levels may be associated with endocrine diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes. We hypothesized that low serum amylase levels may be associated with impaired islet β cell function in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the serum amylase levels and islet β cell function in patients with early type 2 diabetes.

Methods

The cross-sectional study recruited 2327 patients with a mean of 1.71±1.62 years since their diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and all participants were treated with lifestyle intervention alone. Serum amylase levels, the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and metabolic risk factors were examined in all participants. The insulin sensitivity index (Matsuda index, ISI_Matsuda) and insulin secretion index (ratio of total area-under-the-insulin-curve to glucose-curve, AUC_ins/glu) were derived from the OGTT. Integrated islet β cell function was assessed by the Insulin Secretion-Sensitivity Index-2 (ISSI-2) (ISI_Matsuda multiplied by AUC_ins/glu).

Results

Serum amylase levels in the normal range were significantly correlated with ISI_Matsuda, AUC_ins/glu and ISSI-2 (r = 0.203, 0.246 and 0.413, respectively, p<0.001). The association of the serum amylase levels with ISSI-2 (adjusted r = 0.363, p<0.001) was closer than the association with ISI_Matsuda (adjusted r = 0.191, p<0.001) and AUC_ins/glu (adjusted r = 0.174, p<0.001) after adjusting for the anthropometric indices, time since the diagnosis of diabetes, lipid profiles, uric acid levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate, HbA1c levels, smoking and drinking using the partial correlation test. After adjusting for these metabolic risk factors in the multivariate regression analysis with the amylase levels as the dependent variable, ISSI-2 was the major independent contributor to the serum amylase levels (β = 0.416, t = 21.72, p<0.001). Meanwhile, in a comparison of the groups with the highest and lowest quartiles of serum amylase levels, the mean difference in logISSI-2 was 0.902 (95% CI 0.823 to 0.982), and after adjusting for metabolic risk factors, the mean difference in logISSI-2 was 0.610 (0.537 to 0.683).

Conclusions

Serum amylase levels in the normal range are positively associated with integrated islet β cell function in patients with early type 2 diabetes, as assessed by ISSI-2.

Management of pain in chronic pancreatitis with emphasis on exogenous pancreatic enzymes

One of the most challenging issues arising in patients with chronic pancreatitis is the management of abdominal pain. Many competing theories exist to explain pancreatic pain including ductal hypertension from strictures and stones, increased interstitial pressure from glandular fibrosis, pancreatic neuritis, and ischemia. This clinical problem is superimposed on a background of reduced enzyme secretion and altered feedback mechanisms. Throughout history, investigators have used these theories to devise methods to combat chronic pancreatic pain including: Lifestyle measures, antioxidants, analgesics, administration of exogenous pancreatic enzymes, endoscopic drainage procedures, and surgical drainage and resection procedures. While the value of each modality has been debated over the years, pancreatic enzyme therapy remains a viable option. Enzyme therapy restores active enzymes to the small bowel and targets the altered feedback mechanism that lead to increased pancreatic ductal and tissue pressures, ischemia, and pain. Here, we review the mechanisms and treatments for chronic pancreatic pain with a specific focus on pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. We also discuss different approaches to overcoming a lack of clinical response update ideas for studies needed to improve the clinical use of pancreatic enzymes to ameliorate pancreatic pain.

Increased Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis

Chronic inflammation may promote development of coronary heart disease. Studies on the relationship between chronic pancreatitis (CP) and cardiovascular diseases are scant.We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study to determine the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with CP.We randomly selected a comparison cohort of individuals without CP from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (N = 23.74 million) and frequency-matched them with patients with CP from 2000 to 2010 in a 1:4 ratio according to age, sex, and index year. The follow-up period lasted from the index date of the new CP diagnosis to the date of ACS diagnosis, censoring, or the end of 2011. We analyzed the risk of ACS by using Cox proportional-hazard models.In total, 17,405 patients with CP and 69,620 individuals without CP were followed for 84,430 and 417,426 person-years. Most patients with CP were men, and the mean age of the patients was 48.3 ± 15.0 years. The overall ACS incidence was 2.15-fold higher in the CP cohort than in the non-CP cohort (4.89 vs 2.28 per 10,000 person-years) with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-1.64). Compared with individuals without CP, patients with CP aged ≤39 years exhibited the highest risk of ACS (aHR 2.14, 95% CI 1.13-4.02), followed by those aged 40 to 54 years (aHR 1.66, 95% CI 1.23-2.24) and those aged 55 to 69 years (aHR 1.53, 95% CI 1.15-2.03).CP may become an independent risk factor for ACS.

The Role of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Management of Pancreatic Diseases

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is an effective platform for a variety of therapies in the management of benign and malignant disease of the pancreas. Over the last 50 years, endotherapy has evolved into the first-line therapy in the majority of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of the pancreas. As this field advances, it is important that gastroenterologists maintain an adequate knowledge of procedure indication, maintain sufficient procedure volume to handle complex pancreatic endotherapy, and understand alternate approaches to pancreatic diseases including medical management, therapy guided by endoscopic ultrasonography, and surgical options.

Postoperative Complications of Beger Procedure

Introduction. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is considered an inflammatory disease that may cause varying degrees of pancreatic dysfunction. Conservative and surgical treatment options are available depending on dysfunction severity. Presentation of Case. A 36-year-old male with history of heavy alcohol consumption and diagnosed CP underwent a duodenal-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR or Beger procedure) after conservative treatment failure. Refractory pain was reported on follow-up three months after surgery and postoperative imaging uncovered stones within the main pancreatic duct and intestinal dilation. The patient was subsequently subjected to another surgical procedure and intraoperative findings included protein plugs within the main pancreatic duct and pancreaticojejunal anastomosis stricture. A V-shaped enlargement and main pancreatic duct dilation in addition to the reconstruction of the previous pancreaticojejunal anastomosis were performed. The patient recovered with no further postoperative complications in the follow-up at an outpatient clinic. Discussion. Main duct and pancreaticojejunal strictures are an unusual complication of the Beger procedure but were identified intraoperatively as the cause of patient's refractory pain and explained intraductal protein plugs accumulation. Conclusion. Patients that undergo Beger procedures should receive close outpatient clinical follow-up in order to guarantee postoperative conservative treatment success and therefore guarantee an early detection of postoperative complications.

Etiology, pathology, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in Chinese population: A retrospective study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the etiology, pathological characteristics, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in the Chinese population. The clinical data of 142 patients with chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively studied. All patients were of Chinese nationality and hospitalized from January 2008 to December 2011. Their ages ranged from 14 to 76 years, with a mean of 43 years. Of 142 patients, there were 72 cases of obstructive chronic pancreatitis (50.70%), 19 cases of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (13.38%), 14 cases of autoimmune pancreatitis (9.86%) and 37 cases of undetermined etiology (26.06%). Pathologically, the average inflammatory mass diameter was 3.8 ± 3.3 cm, biliary obstruction occurred in 36 cases, gall stones in 70 cases, calcification in 88 cases, ductal dilatation in 61 cases, side branch dilatation in 32 cases, ductal irregularity in 10 cases, lymphocytic inflammation in 23 cases, obliterative phlebitis in 14 cases, extra pancreatic lesion in 19 cases and fibrosis in 142 cases. Location of pancreatic lesion in the region of head (n=97), neck (n=16), body (n=12), tail (n=15) and whole pancreas (n=2) influenced the choice of surgical procedures. Ninety-four patients (66.20%) received surgical treatment and 33.80% received other treatments. After operation, 80.85% of 94 patients experienced decreased pain, and 8.51% of 94 showed recovery of endocrine function but with a complication rate of 12.77%. All the operations were performed successfully. According to the pain scale of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (QLQ-C30) a decrease from 76 ± 22 to 14 ± 18 was observed. Etiology, pathological characteristics, management and prognosis of chronic pancreatitis in the Chinese population vary from others.

Therapeutic uses of somatostatin and its analogues: Current view and potential applications

Somatostatin is an endogeneous cyclic tetradecapeptide hormone that exerts multiple biological activities via five ubiquitously distributed receptor subtypes. Classified as a broad inhibitory neuropeptide, somatostatin has anti-secretory, anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects. The clinical use of native somatostatin is limited by a very short half-life (1 to 3min) and the broad spectrum of biological responses. Thus stable, receptor-selective agonists have been developed. The majority of these somatostatin therapeutic agonists bind strongly to two of the five receptor subtypes, although recently an agonist of wider affinity has been introduced. Somatostatin agonists are established in the treatment of acromegaly with recently approved indications in the therapy of neuroendocrine tumours. Potential therapeutic uses for somatostatin analogues include diabetic complications like retinopathy, nephropathy and obesity, due to inhibition of IGF-1, VEGF together with insulin secretion and effects upon the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Wider uses in anti-neoplastic therapy may also be considered and recent studies have further revealed anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects. This review provides a comprehensive, current view of the biological functions of somatostatin and potential therapeutic uses, informed by the wide range of pharmacological advances reported since the last published review in 2004 by P. Dasgupta. The pharmacology of somatostatin receptors is explained, the current uses of somatostatin agonists are discussed, and the potential future of therapeutic applications is explored.

Effects of oral ingestion of the elemental diet in patients with painful chronic pancreatitis in the real-life setting in Japan

OBJECTIVE

Most patients with chronic pancreatitis develop intractable abdominal pain and malnutrition. A low-fat diet is one of the options used to manage intractable abdominal pain and malnutrition. However, few reports have examined the pain-suppression effect. To investigate the effects of oral ingestion of a low-fat elemental diet composed of purified amino acids on pain and nutritional status in patients with chronic pancreatitis, a multicenter prospective study was conducted.

METHODS

Patients with chronic pancreatitis with symptoms of abdominal pain were enrolled. In addition to meals, patients ingested a low-fat elemental diet composed of purified amino acids for 12 weeks. Before and after treatment, patients were asked to indicate their pain grade using a 100-mm horizontal visual analog scale, and nutritional indices, including body mass index and blood levels of pancreatic enzymes, were measured.

RESULTS

A total of 596 patients were eligible for analysis. Marked pain reduction was observed with a significant decrease of the mean visual analog scale score by 32.9 mm from 52.9 mm after 12 weeks (P < 0.001). There were also significant improvements in nutritional indices.

CONCLUSIONS

An oral low-fat elemental diet composed of purified amino acids, which requires no special treatment procedures, may improve patients' quality of life.

A mass-spectroscopic method for measuring des-Leu albumin--a novel marker for chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVES

Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive inflammatory disease leading to pancreatic insufficiency. The diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis is challenging, especially in early disease and the current tests have low sensitivity, may be invasive or have limited availability. We previously identified a truncated form of albumin lacking the C-terminal leucine, des-Leu albumin, which was present at high concentration in pancreatitis. We have developed a liquid-chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for measuring this peptide and make some preliminary observations on patient samples.

METHODS

Serum samples from patients with established pancreatitis and controls were obtained. Diluted serum samples or prepared standards were digested with trypsin. Aliquots of the digest were separated on a reversed-phase column using water:acetonitrile:formic acid mobile-phase with tandem-mass spectrometry detection. Percentage composition of des-Leu albumin was determined from a response curve.

RESULTS

The C-terminal peptide, LVAASQAALG- of des-Leu albumin was identified by m/z 901→725, wild type albumin by m/z 1014→825. Additional fragments were monitored as internal reference for digestion and sample integrity. Inter-assay imprecision was estimated at 10%. The percentage composition of des-Leu albumin segregated with the diagnosis of established pancreatitis with median levels of des-Leu albumin of 68% in patients compared to 5% in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Des-Leu albumin is a promising novel biomarker for chronic pancreatitis. It allowed clear discrimination of patients with pancreatitis from controls and its long half-life may facilitate monitoring of disease activity. The method described could readily be undertaken in modern clinical chemistry laboratories and will form the basis for further study.

Modern treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis

CP remains a challenging disease. Endoscopic and surgical management, along with antioxidants, have helped in reducing chronic pain. Management of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency forms the cornerstone for improving nutrition in these patients. Newer therapeutic targets that will transcend the management of CP beyond just pain control and enzyme supplementation are required in the future.

Chronic pancreatitis and exocrine insufficiency

The evaluation, management, and follow-up of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) can be simple, but it can also be complex, so having a good referral network of subspecialists experienced in this field is essential. Identifying the cause of CP requires a systematic review of the many potential causes when the cause is not obvious. The identification of patients with autoimmune CP is particularly important because treatment with steroids may be effective. Alterations in pain or other symptoms in patients with CP should not be attributed to worsening disease before evaluations for complications including malignancy are done.

Current treatment options for chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is characterized by progressive and ultimately irreversible pancreatic injury. Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of CP in the Western world. As the pathophysiology of this disorder is better understood, it is probable that the treatment will be more successful. Therapeutic efforts for CP are focused on the treatment of maldigestion, pain, and diabetes. Dosage and timing of enteric-coated pancreatic enzymes are important issues in the treatment of malabsorption due to CP. Non-enteric-coated enzyme preparations along with acid suppression (histamine-2 blockers or proton-pump inhibitors) are of limited to modest effectiveness in treating pain caused by CP but are worth a trial in patients with less advanced disease. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of calcified stones is sometimes needed to achieve stone fragmentation before endoscopic removal. The role of ESWL alone in relieving calcified CP pain needs further study. Endoscopic therapy is aimed at decompressing the obstructed pancreatic duct and removal of pancreatic stone and is associated with pain relief in many patients. The role of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided celiac plexus block should be limited to treating those patients with CP whose pain has not responded to other modalities. Radiation therapy to the whole pancreas for CP pain relief is a revived treatment option that needs further study to confirm the safety and efficacy. Total pancreatectomy followed by autologous islet cell autotransplantation appears to be a potential therapeutic approach but should be considered as the last option in patients with refractory pain who have failed conventional medical, endoscopic, and surgical options.

Functional analysis of a pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor-like protein in insects: silencing effects resemble the human pancreatic autodigestion phenotype

INTRODUCTION

In mammalian pancreatic cells, the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI) prevents the premature activation of digestive enzymes and thus plays an important role in a protective mechanism against tissue destruction by autophagy, a process which may ultimately cause diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Insects, however, lack a pancreas and so far no PSTI-like peptides are functionally characterized.

RESULTS

In several insect species protease inhibitors that structurally resemble the mammalian PSTI were predicted in silico. A putative PSTI-like protein (LmPSTI) was cloned and sequenced in the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. For the first time the expression of an insect derived PSTI-like inhibitor was shown to be restricted to the digestive enzyme-producing organs in insects (midgut and caeca). LmPSTI was produced via a bacterial expression system and was found to be a potent inhibitor of bovine trypsin as well as endogenous locust gut enzymes. In the caeca, RNAi-mediated knockdown of LmPSTI resulted in a significantly upregulated expression (2-fold) of locust ATG8 transcripts (an ubiquitin-like protein crucial for autophagosome formation). These findings were confirmed by an ultrastructural study on caeca, revealing the presence of autophagy-related structures in RNAi-treated animals.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study lead us to believe that LmPSTI plays an important role in controlling the proteolytic activity in the digestive system of L. migratoria. These findings provide new evidence for the existence of an ancient protective mechanism in metazoan digestive systems and open new perspectives for the study of autophagy-related diseases in the digestive tract.

The role of fecal elastase-1 in detecting exocrine pancreatic disease

Exocrine pancreatic disease is thought to be uncommon in clinical practice and usually secondary to excess alcohol intake. Although excess alcohol intake does account for many cases of exocrine pancreatic disease, other conditions are associated with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and such dysfunction perhaps occurs more frequently than conventionally expected. A reliable, patient-friendly, cheap and easy to use test for exocrine pancreatic disease is yet to be established; however, in many countries the main (and often only available) method of assessment of exocrine pancreatic function is the fecal-elastase-1 test. This Review examines the role of fecal-elastase-1 testing in detecting exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in a number of gastrointestinal and nongastrointestinal conditions and determines the value of pancreatic enzyme supplementation in these settings.

Chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive fibroinflammatory disease that exists in large-duct (often with intraductal calculi) or small-duct form. In many patients this disease results from a complex mix of environmental (eg, alcohol, cigarettes, and occupational chemicals) and genetic factors (eg, mutation in a trypsin-controlling gene or the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator); a few patients have hereditary or autoimmune disease. Pain in the form of recurrent attacks of pancreatitis (representing paralysis of apical exocytosis in acinar cells) or constant and disabling pain is usually the main symptom. Management of the pain is mainly empirical, involving potent analgesics, duct drainage by endoscopic or surgical means, and partial or total pancreatectomy. However, steroids rapidly reduce symptoms in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, and micronutrient therapy to correct electrophilic stress is emerging as a promising treatment in the other patients. Steatorrhoea, diabetes, local complications, and psychosocial issues associated with the disease are additional therapeutic challenges.

Italian consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis

This paper gives practical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis. Statements have been elaborated by working teams of experts, by searching for and analysing the literature, and submitted to a consensus process by using a Delphi modified procedure. The statements report recommendations on clinical and nutritional approach, assessment of pancreatic function, treatment of exocrine pancreatic failure and of secondary diabetes, treatment of pain and prevention of painful relapses. Moreover, the role of endoscopy in approaching pancreatic pain, pancreatic stones, duct narrowing and dilation, and complications was considered. Recommendations for most appropriate use of various imaging techniques and of ultrasound endoscopy are reported. Finally, a group of recommendations are addressed to the surgical treatment, with definition of right indications, timing, most appropriate procedures and techniques in different clinical conditions and targets, and clinical and functional outcomes following surgery.

'Pancreatitis, polyarthritis, panniculitis syndrome' (PPP syndrome) plus prolonged pyrexia--a rare presentation of chronic pancreatitis

Pancreatitis presenting without abdominal pain is very unusual. Here we report a 70-year-old man with chronic calcific pancreatitis presented to us with prolonged fever, arthritis and multiple subcutaneous swellings, but without any abdominal pain or other abdominal symptoms. His serum amylase and lipase were very high. Biopsy from the subcutaneous swellings revealed fat necrosis and CT scan abdomen showed features of chronic calcific pancreatitis. He was managed conservatively with supportive measures, and recovered. There is only scanty information in literature regarding this type of presentation in chronic pancreatitis.

Some patients with irritable bowel syndrome may have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) might have other underlying pathologies. Pancreatic disease can be elusive-especially in the early stages, and some symptoms overlap with those of IBS. We evaluated the prevalence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in diarrhea-predominant IBS (D-IBS) and assessed the effects of pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

METHODS

The study included patients who met the Rome II criteria for D-IBS, patients with chronic diarrhea, and subjects without diarrhea (controls). Subjects' baseline weight, stool frequency, stool consistency (using the Bristol score), and fecal elastase-1 (Fel-1) levels were determined. Patients were assessed using British Society of Gastroenterology IBS guidelines. Patients with Fel-1 levels less than 100 microg/g stool (indicating pancreatic exocrine insufficiency; group 1) were compared with age- and sex-matched patients with D-IBS and normal levels of Fel-1 (group 2), given pancreatic enzyme therapy, and reassessed at 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Fel-1 levels were less than 100 microg/g in stool from 19 of 314 patients with D-IBS (6.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7%-9.3%), none of the 105 patients with chronic diarrhea (95% CI, 0.0%-3.5%), and none of 95 controls (95% CI, 0.0-3.8%) (P < .001). After enzyme supplementation, improvements in stool frequency (P < .001), stool consistency (P < .001), and abdominal pain (P = .003) were observed in patients in group 1, but not in group 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency was detected in 6.1% of patients who fulfilled the Rome II criteria for D-IBS. In these patients, pancreatic enzyme therapy might reduce diarrhea and abdominal pain. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency should be considered in patients with D-IBS.

A proposal for a new clinical classification of chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

The clinical course of chronic pancreatitis is still unpredictable, which relates to the lack of the availability of a clinical classification. Therefore, patient populations cannot be compared, the course and the outcome of the disease remain undetermined in the individual patient, and treatment is not standardized.

AIM

To establish a clinical classification for chronic pancreatitis which is user friendly, transparent, relevant, prognosis- as well as treatment-related and offers a frame for future disease evaluation.

METHODS

Diagnostic requirements will include one clinical criterion, in combination with well defined imaging or functional abnormalities.

RESULTS

A classification system consisting of three stages (A, B and C) is presented, which fulfils the above-mentioned criteria. Clinical criteria are: pain, recurrent attacks of pancreatitis, complications of chronic pancreatitis (e.g. bile duct stenosis), steatorrhea, and diabetes mellitus. Imaging criteria consist of ductal or parenchymal changes observed by ultrasonography, ERCP, CT, MRI, and/or endosonography.

CONCLUSION

A new classification of chronic pancreatitis, based on combination of clinical signs, morphology and function, is presented. It is easy to handle and an instrument to study and to compare the natural course, the prognosis and treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis.

How much of the pancreatic head should we resect in Frey's procedure?

PURPOSE

Frey's procedure for chronic pancreatitis (CP) has been minimized gradually in our institution in recent years. We compared the functional outcome of minimized Frey's procedure with that of modified Frey's procedure to establish how deeply and widely we should cut into the head of the pancreas.

METHODS

Between January 1992 and December 2006, we performed Frey's procedure on 57 patients; as modi-fied Frey's procedure from 1992 to 2001, then as minimized Frey's procedure from 2002 to 2006. The patients' pre- and postoperative pain scores (PS), rates of readmission, body mass indexes (BMI), plasma glucose levels (PG), hemoglobin A1c, daily insulin use (DIU), and pancreatic function diagnostant were systematically reviewed and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Frey's procedure resulted in a significant decrease in PS (P < 0.001) and a significant increase in BMI (P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in the pre- and postoperative PG or DIU. The outcome of the late group was similar to that of the early group in terms of pain relief and preservation of endocrine function. There was no early postoperative mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that minimum Frey's procedure is sufficient for resolving intractable pain and improving nutritional status in most patients with CP.

The differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas with a physiopathology that is yet to be fully understood, with a multifactorial etiology, of which alcohol abuse causes the majority of cases. PATIENTS AND METHOD We included 80 patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, admitted in the Gastroenterology Clinic of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova. In each patient, demographic parameters, family and personal history were recorded. All patients were initially evaluated by transabdominal ultrasound. In selected cases other imagistic methods were used: computed tomography, endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. RESULTS The mean age in the studied group ranged between 26 and 76 years with a mean age of 52.9 years. The male to female ratio was 3.6:1. The most frequent presenting symptom was abdominal pain (93.75%), followed by fatigue (70%), anorexia (50%); fewer patients presented with emesis, loss of weight, diarrhea, meteorism and flatulence. The most frequent etiologic factor of chronic pancreatitis in the studied group was alcohol abuse. Using imaging methods the following complications of chronic pancreatitis were diagnosed in the studied group: complicated or uncomplicated pseudocysts (31.57%), pancreatic cancer (18.75%), obstructive jaundice (10%), segmental portal hypertension (2.5%), and pseudoaneurysm (1.25%).CONCLUSSIONS Transabdominal ultrasound is quite accurate in diagnosing chronic pancreatitis and its morbidities and its non-invasiveness makes it the method of choice in the initial assessment of the disease. EUS has the advantage of visualizing not just the modifications of the pancreatic ducts, but also the parenchyma. Moreover, it can be used as EUS-FNA in order to increase the sensitivity of the differential diagnosis between pseudotumoral chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Evaluation of unusual causes of pancreatitis: role of cross-sectional imaging

There are widely diverse causes of pancreatitis. Gallstone and alcohol have been recognized as the most common causes of pancreatitis accounting for 90% of cases. However, acute and chronic pancreatitis may also result from a variety of uncommon causes. The determination of the etiology is important for patient management and prevention of recurrence. Sludge is the most common cause of idiopathic or recurrent acute pancreatitis. Endoscopic ultrasonography is considered as the most accurate diagnostic test for this abnormality. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have only a limited role in the diagnosis of sludge. However, papillitis observed on the contrast-enhanced CT and MR may provide clues to the detection of pancreatitis secondary to sludge, a small stone or a recently passed stone. Radiological studies, clinical presentation and laboratory data can be helpful in determining the etiology of unusual causes of pancreatitis such as anatomic anomalies, autoimmune pancreatitis, groove pancreatitis, and traumatic pancreatitis.

Pancreatic function testing: here to stay for the 21st century

The diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) is based on the detection of abnormal structure or function of the diseased pancreas. The pancreatic function tests more accurately determine the presence of CP than tests of structure, especially for early stage disease. The function tests can be divided into two categories: non-invasive and invasive. The invasive "tube" tests can reliably detect mild, early CP, but are only available at a few referral centers and tend to be poorly tolerated by patients. The non-invasive tests are easy to obtain, but tend to perform poorly in patients with early, mild disease. Therefore, no one test is useful in all clinical situations, and a detailed understanding of the rational, pathophysiologic basis, strengths, and limitations of various tests is needed. This review highlights the role of various pancreatic function tests in the diagnosis of CP including fecal fat analysis, fecal elastase, fecal chymotrypsin, serum trypsin, the secretin stimulation test, the cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulation test, the combined secretin-CCK stimulation test, the intraductal and endoscopic secretin stimulation tests, and the functional magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas after secretin stimulation.

Limited effect of thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy in the treatment of severe chronic pancreatitis pain: a prospective long-term analysis of 75 cases

BACKGROUND

Bilateral thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy is a minimally invasive method of treating pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. It offers good, short-term pain relief, but long-term success is difficult to predict. We analyze long-term results and identify factors predicting success of splanchnicectomy.

METHODS

A total of 75 consecutive chronic pancreatitis patients underwent bilateral thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy with long term follow-up (>or=1 year). Treatment success was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and possible predictive factors (etiology, gender, onset of pancreatitis, previous pancreatitis-related surgery, opioid use, pathology at imaging, technical success, and post-splanchnicectomy complications) via the Cox proportional hazards regression model. We compared patients with long-term pain relief, patients who failed the procedure within 1 year, and those who had pain recurrence after > 1 year. Further treatments after failed splanchnicectomy were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 66 patients (88%) were on continuous opioids; 47 (63%) had prior pancreatitis-related interventions. Treatment was successful in 52% of patients at 12 months, 38% at 24 months, and 28% at 48 months. At the end of follow-up, 21 patients (28%) reported pain relief, of whom 13 were completely pain free without any additional treatment. Pancreatic surgery after failed splanchnicectomy relieved pain in only 13% of patients. Technical success was the only independent factor significantly associated with successful splanchnicectomy outcome (P = .03). Preoperative opioid use showed a strong tendency to be associated with unsuccessful outcome (P = .07).

CONCLUSION

Splanchnicectomy offers prolonged (>4 years) benefit in 1 of 4 patients with severe chronic pancreatitis pain. Prior opioid use may adversely impact pain relief after splanchnicectomy.

Role of genetic disorders in acute recurrent pancreatitis

There was remarkable progress in the understanding of the role genetic risk factors in chronic pancreatitis. These factors seem to be much more important than thought in the past. The rare autosomal-dominant mutations N29I and R122H of PRSS1 (cationic trypsinogen) as well as the variant N34S of SPINK1 (pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor) are associated to a disease onset in childhood or youth. Compared to chronic alcoholic pancreatitis the progression is slow so that for a long time only signs of acute-recurrent pancreatitis are found. Only at later time points (more than 10-15 years) there is evidence for chronic pancreatitis in the majority of patients. Acute recurrent pancreatitis may therefore be regarded as a transition state until definite signs of chronic pancreatitis are detectable.

Severe chronic abdominal pain in the absence of adhesions

Management of the patient with chronic severe abdominal pain in the absence of adhesions remains one of the major challenges of the gastroenterologist. Given that extensive investigation will inevitably take place of such individual, the role of the gastroenterologist who is asked to review such a problem, is to identify unusual manifestations of common disorders from new, previously-unidentified causes, and to assess the degree to which somatisation and psychological overlay are exacerbating the problem. Investigations must be targeted against clinically-generated hypotheses rather than to repeat a non-systematic approach. Therapy in the absence of a newly-identified disorder is generally targeted at alleviating rather than removing symptoms, addressing an individual's personal pain and management needs, and avoiding ever more complex and invasive investigations.

Results of decompression surgery for pain in chronic pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION

A vast majority of patients with chronic pancreatitis require regular opiate/opioid analgesia and recurrent hospital admission for pain. However, the role and timing of operative strategies for pain in chronic pancreatitis is controversial. This study hypothesized that pancreatic decompression surgery reduces analgesia requirement and hospital readmission for pain in selected patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective review of patients undergoing longitudinal pancreatico-jejunostomy (LPJ), with or without coring of the pancreatic head (Frey's procedure), between 1995 and 2007 in a single UK centre. Surgery was performed for chronic pain with clinical/radiological evidence of chronic pancreatitis amenable to decompression/head coring.

RESULTS

Fifty patients were identified. Thirty-six were male with a median age of 46 years and median follow-up of 30 months. Twenty-eight underwent LPJ and 22 underwent Frey's procedure. No significant difference in reduction of analgesia requirement (71% vs 64%, p=0.761) or hospital readmission for pain (21% vs 23%, p=1.000) was observed when comparing LPJ and Frey's procedure. Patients were significantly more likely to be pain-free following surgery if they required non-opiate rather than opiate analgesia preoperatively (75% vs 19%, p=0.0002). Fewer patients required subsequent hospital readmission for pain if taking non-opiate rather than opiate analgesia preoperatively (12.5% vs 31%, p=0.175).

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients, LPJ and Frey's procedure have equivalent benefit in short-term pain reduction. Patients should be selected for surgery before the commencement of opiate analgesia.