title: Is acute recurrent pancreatitis a chronic disease?
abstract: Whether acute recurrent pancreatitis is a chronic disease is still debated and a consensus is not still reached as demonstrated by differences in the classification of acute recurrent pancreatitis. There is major evidence for considering alcoholic pancreatitis as a chronic disease ab initio while chronic pancreatitis lesions detectable in biliary acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) seem a casual association. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutation, hereditary and obstructive pancreatitis seem an acute disease that progress to chronic pancreatitis, likely as a consequence of the activation and proliferation of pancreatic stellate cells that produce and activate collagen and therefore fibrosis. From the diagnostic point of view, in patients with acute recurrent pancreatitis Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) seems the more reliable technique for an accurate evaluation and follow-up of some ductal and parenchymal abnormalities suspected for early chronic pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, Milano 20132, Italy. mariani.alberto@hsr.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Pier Alberto
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Testoni
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / Q000235:genetics; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: C505032:CFTR protein, human; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator