Cause and effect relationship of malnutrition with idiopathic chronic pancreatitis: Prospective case-control study

• Published in: Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology Vol. 23; no. 9; pp. 1378 - 1383
• Main Authors: Midha, Shallu, Singh, Namrata, Sachdev, Vikas, Tandon, Rakesh Kumar, Joshi, Yogendra Kumar, Garg, Pramod Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.09.2008; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Case-Control Studies; cause and effect; chronic pancreatitis; Diabetes Complications - etiology; Eating; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; India; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; malnutrition; Manihot - adverse effects; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Nutritional Status; Other diseases. Semiology; Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...); Pancreatic Pseudocyst - complications; Pancreatitis, Chronic - complications; Pancreatitis, Chronic - etiology; Pancreatitis, Chronic - physiopathology; Prospective Studies; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - etiology; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - physiopathology; Risk Factors; Weight Loss; Young Adult; India; cause and effect; Chronic; chronic pancreatitis; Nutrition disorder; Gastroenterology; Idiopathic; Pancreatitis; Weight loss; Digestive diseases; Case control study; Malnutrition; Pancreatic disease
• ISSN: 0815-9319; 1440-1746
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2008.05459.x

Background and Aim:  Patients with chronic pancreatitis are often malnourished. The role of malnutrition in the pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis is unclear. The aim of the present article was to study prospectively the cause and effect relationship of malnutrition with idiopathic chronic pancreatitis in a case–control study. Methods:  Consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis underwent anthropometry, nutritional and dietary assessments. For dietary assessment, food frequency questionnaire and 24‐hour dietary recall methods were used. Primary outcome measure was cause and effect relationship of malnutrition with idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. Results:  Of 201 patients with chronic pancreatitis, 120 had idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (mean age 29.60 years, 74 males) who formed the study group. None of the patients consumed cassava. The nutritional status and dietary intake of the patients before the onset of chronic pancreatitis were comparable with those of controls with 20.6% of patients and 22.5% of controls being malnourished (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5). After the onset of chronic pancreatitis, 56.5% of patients lost weight and significantly more patients became malnourished compared with controls (45.8% vs 22.5%; P < 0.001). The causes of weight loss were diabetes, higher calories from proteins, and pseudocyst. Conclusion:  Malnutrition was not a cause of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis and weight loss occurred as an effect of chronic pancreatitis. Cassava was not found to be a cause of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis.