Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Alcoholic pancreatopathy: a proposed new diagnostic category representing the preclinical stage of alcoholic pancreatic injury

  • Published:
Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (CP) is not usually diagnosed until the end stage of the disease, and hence enormous medical and social resources are consumed in the treatment of established alcoholic CP. With the aim of early diagnosis and prevention of alcoholic CP, we here propose “alcoholic pancreatopathy” as a new category of pancreatic disorder induced by alcohol intake. In addition to a history of excessive alcohol intake (>80 g/day), the presence of at least one of the following conditions establishes the diagnosis of alcoholic pancreatopathy:

1. History of alcoholic acute pancreatitis.

2. Recurrent abdominal pain or gastrointestinal symptoms induced by alcohol intake.

3. Hyperamylasemia or a high serum level of any other pancreatic enzymes.

4. Abnormal findings in the pancreas by routine abdominal ultrasonography.

Alcoholic pancreatopathy is a comprehensive concept that includes the early stage of pancreatic injury induced by alcohol, and is useful for detecting the preclinical stage of pancreatic injury induced by alcohol and hence for treating the early stage of the disease. Further assessments and well-designed studies for investigating the early stage of alcoholic CP are necessary, in which alcoholic pancreatopathy could play a key role.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T Stevens DL Conwell G Zuccaro (2004) ArticleTitlePathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis: an evidenced-based review of past theories and recent developments Am J Gastroenterol 99 2256–70 Occurrence Handle15555009 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1572-0241.2004.40694.x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXhtVCksLnJ

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. B Etemad DC Whitcomb (2001) ArticleTitleChronic pancreatitis: diagnosis, classification, and new genetic developments Gastroenterol 120 682–707 Occurrence Handle10.1053/gast.2001.22586 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7lvV2mtw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M Otsuki (2004) ArticleTitleChronic pancreatitis Pancreatology 4 28–41 Occurrence Handle14988656 Occurrence Handle10.1159/000077066

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. PG Lankisch (2001) ArticleTitleNatural course of chronic pancreatitis Pancreatology 1 3–14 Occurrence Handle12120264 Occurrence Handle10.1159/000055786 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD38znsVGlsA%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. RW Ammann (2001) ArticleTitleThe natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis Intern Med 40 368–75 Occurrence Handle11393404 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MzhvVKrtA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. AK Saluja L Bhagat (2003) ArticleTitlePathophysiology of alcohol-induced pancreatic injury Pancreas 27 327–31 Occurrence Handle14576496 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-200311000-00010 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXks1yjtg%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. MC Dufour MD Adamson (2003) ArticleTitleThe epidemiology of alcohol-induced pancreatitis Pancreas 27 286–90 Occurrence Handle14576488 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-200311000-00002

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. M Magliori R Pezzilli P Tomassetti L Gullo (2004) ArticleTitleExocrine pancreatic function after alcoholic or biliary acute pancreatitis Pancreas 28 359–63 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-200405000-00001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. H Sarles (1965) Pancreatitis symposium, Marseille 1963 S. Karger Basel

    Google Scholar 

  10. M Sarner PB Cotton (1984) ArticleTitleClassification of pancreatitis Gut 25 756–9 Occurrence Handle6735257 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL2c3jslKqtg%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gry K, Singer MV, Sarles H. Pancreatitis: concepts and classifications. Proceedings of the second international symposium of the classification of pancreatitis in Marseille, France, March 28–30, 1984. Amsterdam Excepta Medica; 1984

  12. MV Singer K Gry H Sarles (1985) ArticleTitleRevised classification of pancreatitis: report of the second international symposium on the classification of pancreatitis in Marseille, France, March 28–30, 1984 Gastroenterology 89 683–90 Occurrence Handle4018507 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL2M3lvVymug%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. H Sarles G Adler R Dani (1989) ArticleTitleThe classification of pancreatitis and definition of pancreatic disease Digestion 43 234–6 Occurrence Handle2612747 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3c7islyjsQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1159/000199882

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. RW Ammann (1997) ArticleTitleA clinical based classification system for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis: summary of an international workshop on chronic pancreatitis Pancreas 14 215–21 Occurrence Handle9094150 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-199704000-00001 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2s3kvVShtQ%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. G Uomo (2002) ArticleTitleHow far are we from the most accurate classification system for chronic pancreatitis JOP 3 62–5 Occurrence Handle12004162

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. T Homma H Harada M Koizumi (1997) ArticleTitleDiagnostic criteria for chronic pancreatitis by the Japan Pancreas Society Pancreas 15 14–5 Occurrence Handle9211487 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-199707000-00002 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2szlsFaqsA%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. AM Bisceglie I Segal (1984) ArticleTitleCirrhosis and chronic pancreatitis in alcoholics J Clin Gastroenterol 6 199–200 Occurrence Handle6725910 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaL2c3htlymug%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. VV Gumaste (1995) ArticleTitleAlcoholic pancreatitis: unraveling the mystery Gastroenterol 108 297–9 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-5085(95)90040-3 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M7gsVKmsw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. P Layer H Yamamoto L Kalthoff JE Clain LJ Bakken EP DiMagno (1994) ArticleTitleThe different courses of early- and late-onset idiopathic and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis Gastroenterology 107 1481–7 Occurrence Handle7926511 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M%2FhtFejtg%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. A Takada M Tsutsumi (1995) ArticleTitleNational survey of alcoholic liver disease in Japan (1968–91) J Gastroenterol Hepatol 10 509–16 Occurrence Handle8963025 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK28vgtFylsg%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. RW Ammann B Muellhaupt C Meyerberger PU Heitz (1994) ArticleTitleAlcoholic nonprogressive chronic pancreatitis: prospective long-term study of a large cohort with alcoholic acute pancreatitis (1976–1992) Pancreas 9 365–73 Occurrence Handle8022760 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-199405000-00014 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2c3psVenug%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. T Strate E Yekebas WT Knoefel C Bloechle J Izbicki (2002) ArticleTitlePathogenesis and the natural course of chronic pancreatitis Euro J Gastroenterol Hepatol 14 929–34 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00042737-200209000-00002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. PG Lankisch (1999) ArticleTitleProgression from acute to chronic pancreatitis Surg Clin North Am 79 815–27 Occurrence Handle10470329 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0039-6109(05)70045-1 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1MzpvFentg%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. P Grandval A De Caro J De Caro B Sias F Carriere R Verger et al. (2004) ArticleTitleCritical evaluation of a specific ELISA and two enzymatic assays of pancreatic lipases in human sera Pancreatology 4 495–503 Occurrence Handle15316225 Occurrence Handle10.1159/000080246 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXlslKm

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. O Le Moine JM Devaster J Deviere P Thiry M Cremer HA Ooms (1994) ArticleTitleTrypsin activity. A new marker of acute alcoholic pancreatitis Dig Dis Sci 39 2634–8 Occurrence Handle7527752 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02087701 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M%2FoslGjuw%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. D Yadav N Agarwal CS Pitchumoni (2002) ArticleTitleA critical evaluation of laboratory tests in acute pancreatitis Am J Gastroenterol 97 1309–18 Occurrence Handle12094843 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1572-0241.2002.05766.x Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXjtFGnsL0%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. H Printz H Siegmund C Wojte C Schafer H Hesse M Rothmund et al. (1995) ArticleTitle“Human pancreas-specific protein” (procarboxypeptidase B): a valuable marker in pancreatitis? Pancreas 10 222–30 Occurrence Handle7624299 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00006676-199504000-00002 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2MzltVWhtg%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. ST Chari MV Singer (1994) ArticleTitleThe problem of classification and staging of chronic pancreatitis: proposals based on current knowledge of its natural history Scand J Gastroenterol 29 949–60 Occurrence Handle7839103 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M7ktFSgsw%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. PK Gang RK Tandon (2004) ArticleTitleSurvey on chronic pancreatitis in the Asia-Pacific region J Gastroenterol Hepatol 19 998–1004 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1440-1746.2004.03426.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. P Maisonneuve AB Lowenfels B Muellhaupt G Cavallini PG Lankish JR Anderson et al. (2005) ArticleTitleCigarette smoking accelerates progression of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis Gut 54 510–4 Occurrence Handle15753536 Occurrence Handle10.1136/gut.2004.039263 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD2M7it1Chtw%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, 329-0498, Japan

    Naohiro Sata, Masaru Koizumi & Hideo Nagai

Authors
  1. Naohiro Sata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Masaru Koizumi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hideo Nagai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sata, N., Koizumi, M. & Nagai, H. Alcoholic pancreatopathy: a proposed new diagnostic category representing the preclinical stage of alcoholic pancreatic injury. J Gastroenterol 42 (Suppl 17), 131–134 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1936-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1936-5

Key words

Search

Navigation