Digestion and absorption of patients with autoimmune pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
In patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, radiological, serological and pancreatic functional abnormalities usually improve with steroid therapy. However, no studies have specifically focused on digestion and absorption in such patients. This study aims to investigate digestion and absorption, in addition to pancreatic endocrine and exocrine function, and their responses to steroid therapy in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis.


METHODS
Ideal body weight index, levels of serum albumin, total cholesterol and glucose, or glycosylated hemoglobin values were investigated in 22 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis. N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-paraminobenzoic acid excretion test was performed in 9 patients. In 10 patients treated with steroids, these factors were examined again about 2 months after medication.


RESULTS
Levels of serum albumin decreased, while ideal body weight index and levels of serum albumin and cholesterol significantly increased after steroid therapy. Eleven (50%) patients showed evidence of diabetes mellitus, but this improved in 6 of 8 patients treated with steroids. Pancreatic exocrine function was reduced in 88% of patients. Impaired pancreatic exocrine function improved after steroid therapy in 3 of 7 patients treated.


CONCLUSIONS
Mild malnutrition as well as impaired pancreatic endocrine and exocrine function were frequently detected in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis. Steroid therapy was occasionally effective for these conditions.
Kamisawa
Terumi
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan. kamisawa@cick.jp
Nakamura
Teruo
T
Egawa
Naoto
N
Nakajima
Hitoshi
H
Tsuruta
Kouji
K
Okamoto
Atsutake
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000503:physiopathology*