Zinc status in chronic pancreatitis and its relationship with exocrine and endocrine insufficiency.
BACKGROUND
A major role of the pancreas in zinc homeostasis has been suggested.


OBJECTIVE
To assess erythrocyte zinc status in chronic pancreatitis and to correlate it with pancreatic exocrine and endocrine insufficiency.


METHODS
One hundred and one patients with chronic pancreatitis (34 alcoholic chronic pancreatitis, 67 tropical chronic pancreatitis) were prospectively studied.


METHODS
Disease characteristics and imaging features were recorded. Erythrocyte zinc was estimated by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Exocrine insufficiency was assessed using polyclonal antibody ELISA for pancreatic stool elastase1. Endocrine insufficiency was assessed by serum glucose levels and insulin requirement.


RESULTS
Erythrocyte zinc was significantly lower in chronic pancreatitis patients than in the controls (26.5+/-9.5 microg/g Hb vs. 38.0+/-6.6 microg/g Hb; P<0.001), and in tropical chronic pancreatitis than in alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (25.0+/-10.4 microg/g Hb vs. 29.6+/-6.5 microg/g Hb, P=0.001). In chronic pancreatitis patients who had exocrine insufficiency, erythrocyte zinc positively correlated with stool elastase1 (r=0.587, P<0.001). Erythrocyte zinc levels were significantly lower in diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetics (P=0.036).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates zinc deficiency in chronic pancreatitis patients, and that zinc deficiency correlates with exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. Further studies may clarify the possible benefits of zinc supplementation in chronic pancreatitis.
Girish
Banavara Narasimhamurthy
BN
Department of Gastroenterology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. Cochin 682 041, Kerala, India.
Rajesh
Gopalakrishna
G
Vaidyanathan
Kannan
K
Balakrishnan
Vallath
V
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency
D015032:Zinc