title: Prevalence and clinical features of chronic pancreatitis in China: a retrospective multicenter analysis over 10 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A multicenter study was initiated by the Chinese Chronic Pancreatitis Study Group to determine the nature and magnitude of chronic pancreatitis (CP) in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two hospitals representing all 6 urban health care regions in China participated in the study. The survey covered a 10-year period from May 1, 1994, to April 30, 2004. Multiple logistic regression was used for analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis included 2008 patients (64.99% were men, and 35.01% were female; mean age, 48.9 years [SD, 15.0 years]). Chronic pancreatitis prevalence increased yearly from 1996 to 2003: 3.08, 3.91, 5.28, 7.61, 10.43, 11.92, 12.84, and 13.52 per 100,000 inhabitants. Chronic pancreatitis etiologies were alcohol (35.11%), biliary stones (34.36%), hereditary (7.22%), and idiopathic CP (12.90%). Clinical feature were pain (76.25%), maldigestion (36.11%), jaundice (13.40%), and steatorrhea (6.92%). Complications were pseudocyst (26.25%), diabetes (21.61%), bile duct strictures (13.40%), and ascites (1.74%). With regard to the diagnosis, the sensitivity and specificity of endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were 88% and 93%, and 87% and 93%, respectively. Three hundred ninety-one patients (19.47%) received endoscopic therapy. Surgery was performed in 239 patients (11.90%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In China, the incidence of CP is rising rapidly; alcohol and biliary stones are the main causes. Endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are highly sensitive and specific diagnostic methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Luo Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhao Shen
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu De
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhen Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Duo Wu
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000601:surgery; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution