Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Pancreatitis

IMPORTANCE: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic inflammatory and fibrotic disease of the pancreas with a prevalence of 42 to 73 per 100 000 adults in the United States. OBSERVATIONS: Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of CP. Environmental factors associated with CP include alcohol abuse (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% CI, 1.87-5.14) for 5 or more drinks per day vs abstainers and light drinkers as well as smoking (OR, 4.59; 95% CI, 2.91-7.25) for more than 35 pack-years in a case-control study involving 971 participants. Between 28% to 80% of patients are classified as having "idiopathic CP." Up to 50% of these individuals have mutations of the trypsin inhibitor…