title: Alcohol consumption on pancreatic diseases.
abstract: Although the association between alcohol and pancreatic diseases has been recognized for a long time, the impact of alcohol consumption on pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer (PC) remains poorly defined. Nowadays there is not consensus about the epidemiology and the beverage type, dose and duration of alcohol consumption causing these diseases. The objective of this study was to review the epidemiology described in the literature for pancreatic diseases as a consequence of alcoholic behavior trying to understand the association between dose, type and frequency of alcohol consumption and risk of pancreatitis and PC. The majority of the studies conclude that high alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of pancreatitis (around 2.5%-3% between heavy drinkers and 1.3% between non drinkers). About 70% of pancreatitis are due to chronic heavy alcohol consumption. Although this incidence rate differs between countries, it is clear that the risk of developing pancreatitis increases with increasing doses of alcohol and the average of alcohol consumption vary since 80 to 150 g/d for 10-15 years. With regard to PC, the role of alcohol consumption remains less clear, and low to moderate alcohol consumption do not appear to be associated with PC risk, and only chronic heavy drinking increase the risk compared with lightly drinkers. In a population of 10%-15% of heavy drinkers, 2%-5% of all PC cases could be attributed to alcohol consumption. However, as only a minority (less than 10% for pancreatitis and 5% for PC) of heavily drinkers develops these pancreatic diseases, there are other predisposing factors besides alcohol involved. Genetic variability and environmental exposures such as smoking and diet modify the risk and should be considered for further investigations.
authors: Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MA 55905, USA.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Herreros-Villanueva
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Hijona
authors: Jesus Maria
authors: JM
authors: Bañales
authors: Angel
authors: A
authors: Cosme
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Bujanda
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D019512:Pancreatitis, Alcoholic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Acute pancreatitis; Alcohol consumption; Alcohol metabolism; Chronic pancreatitis; Genetic variability; Pancreatic cancer; Risk