[Natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis in north-western Romania].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the natural history of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) patients form north-western Romania.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis and a subsequent prospective follow-up (mean = 7.3 years) of 99 patients with ACP. Average duration of ACP was 15.6 years.


RESULTS
Patients were mostly men (93%), with a mean age of 42.9 years at the time of operation and 35.7 years at the disease onset. Indications for surgery were: intractable pain (12%), complications (83%) and suspicion of malignancy (5%). During the evolution, 35 patients needed two to four surgical procedures. Calcifications developed in 63.6% of patients, steatorrhea in 41.4% and secondary diabetes in 43.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
ACP in north-western Romania is characterized by early onset of the disease and a severe evolution with multiple complications needing repeated surgery. The "burnout" of the disease, with calcifications, secondary diabetes and marked exocrine insufficiency leads to lasting pain relief.
Barbu
S T
ST
Facultatea de Medicină, Clinica Chirurgicală IV, Universitatea de Medicină si Farmacie "I. Haţieganu" Cluj-Napoca.
Vlad
C
C
Cazacu
M
M
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D045602:Steatorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome