Impact of alcohol and smoking on pancreatic calcification in chronic pancreatitis / 中华胰腺病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the relationship between alcohol and smoking and the development of pancreatic calcification in chronic pancreatitis (CP) in China. Methods The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of pancreatic calcification at admission and the data were analyzed; furthermore, the discharged patients without pancreatic calcification were divided into two groups as newly diagnosed pancreatic calcification group and persistent non-pancreatic calcification group. Logistic regression and Cox proportional-hazards model was used for multivariate analysis of the risk factors for pancreatic calcification. Results From January1997 to July 2007, 449 patients with CP were enrolled and followed up successfully. 248 patients presented with pancreatic calcification at admission; among the 201 patients presented without pancreatic calcification, 13 patients developed pancreatic calcification after discharge. Patients with pancreatic calcification had a young age at onset, long CP history, higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and diarrhea. Age at onset ≤ 40, alcohol intake over 20 g/day, and diabetes mellitus and diarrhea were risk factors for pancreatic calcification. The only risk factor of development of pancreatic calcification after discharge was excessive alcohol intake (OR 3.2). Conclusions Alcohol intake increased the risk of pancreatic calcifications, suggesting the patients abstain from alcohol intake. Further studies are necessary to clarify the role of smoking.