title: Risk factors for pancreatic stone formation in autoimmune pancreatitis over a long-term course.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) has the potential to progress to a chronic state that forms pancreatic stones. The aim of this study was to clarify the risk factors underlying pancreatic stone formation in AIP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine patients with AIP who had been followed for at least 3 years were enrolled for evaluation of clinical and laboratory factors as well as computed tomography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the course of this study, increased or de novo stone formation was seen in 28 patients, who were defined as the stone-forming group. No stones were observed in 32 patients, who were defined as the non-stone-forming group. Nine patients who had stones at diagnosis but showed no change during the course of this study were excluded from our cohort. Univariate analysis revealed no significant differences in clinical or laboratory factors associated with AIP-specific inflammation between the two groups. However, pancreatic head swelling (P = 0.006) and narrowing of both Wirsung's and Santorini's ducts in the pancreatic head region (P = 0.010) were significantly more frequent in the stone-forming group. Furthermore, multivariate analysis identified Wirsung and Santorini duct narrowing at diagnosis as a significant independent risk factor for pancreatic stone formation (OR 4.4, P = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A primary risk factor for pancreatic stone formation in AIP was narrowing of both Wirsung's and Santorini's ducts, which most presumably led to pancreatic juice stasis and stone development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Norikazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arakura
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Suguru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muraki
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamano
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002137:Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone