Natural history of non alcoholic and non familial chronic pancreatitis. Results of a multicentre study

• Published in: Gastroentérologie clinique et biologique Vol. 23; no. 12; p. 1368
• Main Authors: Arotcarena, R, Heyries, L, Moreau, J, Buffet, C, Le Bodic, L, Hastier, P, Pariente, E A, Sahel, J, Hammel, P, Bernades, P, Ruszniewski, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01-12-1999
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatitis - complications; Pancreatitis - mortality; Pancreatitis - surgery; Pancreatitis, Alcoholic - complications; Pancreatitis, Alcoholic - mortality; Pancreatitis, Alcoholic - surgery; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 0399-8320

The natural history and complications of non alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (NACP) is poorly understood compared to that of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP).
From April 1993 to April 1996, 77 patients with NACP were prospectively evaluated in 17 French centres. This population was compared to a cohort of 417 patients with ACP.
No significant difference was observed with respect to mean age between NACP and ACP (43 +/- 20 vs 44 +/- 11 years, respectively). The median patient follow-up time was also comparable: 7 years (1-28) and 6 years (1-34) respectively for NACP and ACP. There were significantly more males in the ACP group (9/1 in ACP group and 1.3/1 in NACP group; P<10(- 7) ). Patients with NACP were less likely to have calcifications (58% vs 77%; P=0.01), pseudocysts (19 vs 47%, P<0.001), portal vein thrombosis (5 vs 16%, P<0.02). Importantly, patients with NACP required less surgical procedures than those with ACP (26% vs 44%, P=0.004). The actuarial death rate at 15 years was 0% in the NACP group compared to 20.5% in those with ACP (no CP related death).
NACP has a less severe disease progression, fewer complications and requires less surgical interventions than ACP. The lower actuarial survival rate in patients with ACP correlates with the extra-pancreatic complications encountered in patients with alcohol related diseases and not with the evolution of CP itself.