title: Prevalence of chronic (latent) pancreatitis in hospitalized chronic consumers of alcohol.
abstract: A pancreatic echographic investigation was carried out in 120 chronic consumers of alcohol, hospitalized for digestive diseases (hepatic, gastrointestinal) or extradigestive diseases (rheumatic, cardiovascular). Seventy cases (66%) presented pancreatic echographic--structural changes of various degrees. In 50 patients (41.5%) these changes were well definite. The intensity of echographic changes was correlated with the degree of alcoholic impregnation, 50% of the cases presenting also alcoholic hepatic disease. Emphasis is laid on the clinical latency of pancreatic disease. Echographic screening proved to be a valuable method for the detection of latent pancreatic fibrosis in heavy alcohol consumers.
authors.affiliation: 4th Clinic of Internal Medicine, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banciu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suşan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jovin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sporea
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Văcariu
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography