Antioxidant treatment in hereditary pancreatitis. A pilot study on three young patients.
BACKGROUND
Abdominal pain is the most challenging symptom of hereditary pancreatitis. No specific and proven therapy is yet available; analgesics, often in large doses, are required also in children and young patients.


METHODS
We performed an open-label, pilot study on three young patients, coming from the same kindred, with hereditary pancreatitis. The study period lasted two years (July 1997-July 1999) and was divided into four sub-periods of six months each. In the first and third period the patients took only oral analgesics, if necessary; in the second and fourth period, an antioxidant regimen per os was added. This treatment consisted of sulphadenosyl-methionine (800 mg per day), Vitamin C (180 mg per day), Vitamin E (30 mg per day), Vitamin A (2,400 microg per day), and selenium (75 microg per day).


RESULTS
Compliance of patients to the treatment schedule was satisfactory and no important side-effects were observed. Antioxidant treatment led to a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the number of days with abdominal pain experienced by the three patients and this was verified for both periods of treatment. Albeit, consumption of analgesics was lower in the antioxidant treatment periods.


CONCLUSIONS
Oxidative stress may be one of the principle contributors to pain in hereditary pancreatitis and orally administered antioxidant treatment appears to be effective for control of the condition, in young patients, suffering from this rare disease.
Uomo
G
G
Internal Medicine Department, Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy. uomogir@libero.it
Talamini
G
G
Rabitti
P G
PG
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014362:Trypsinogen / Q000235:genetics
D000975:Antioxidants; D014362:Trypsinogen