title: Long-term outcome of autoimmune pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a unique form of pancreatitis and can be complicated with various extrapancreatic lesions. Little is known about the long-term clinical course of AIP. Here we aimed to document the clinical course of AIP.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this study, we recruited 21 patients, averaging 66.5 years in age (range, 19-84 years) and observed them at a mean interval of 40.8 months (range, 18-130 months). Three of the patients were also diagnosed with retroperitoneal fibrosis, 3 had sialoadenitis, 2 had chronic thyroiditis, 1 had interstitial nephritis, and 1 had interstitial pneumonia. Three of the patients underwent surgical therapy, 12 patients received methylprednisolone (PSL) treatment, and the 6 remaining patients received no treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enlargement of the pancreas was attenuated in all the PSL-treated patients. Seven of the 21 patients showed pancreatic atrophy, of whom 2 were non-PSL-treated patients. Three patients developed chronic pancreatitis. One patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after 50 months of PSL therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As with chronic pancreatitis patients, AIP patients should be observed closely for abnormality in pancreatic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kansai Medical University, 10-15 Fumizono-cho, Moriguchi, Osaka, 570-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Shujiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazumi
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusuda
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koyabu
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukata
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Yutaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Mitsunobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takaoka
authors.forename: Kazuichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D014357:Trypsin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014357:Trypsin; D008775:Methylprednisolone