Follow-up investigation
Follow-up of pancreatic exocrine function
- offer people with chronic pancreatitis monitoring by clinical and biochemical assessment, to be agreed with the specialist centre, for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and malnutrition at least every 12 months (every 6 months in under 16s). Adjust the treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies accordingly
- offer adults with chronic pancreatitis a bone density assessment every 2 years.
Follow-up to identify pancreatic cancer
- people with chronic pancreatitis have an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer
- lifetime risk is highest, around 40%, in those with hereditary pancreatitis.
- annual monitoring for pancreatic cancer should be considered in people with hereditary pancreatitis.
Follow-up to identify diabetes
- people with chronic pancreatitis have a greatly increased risk of developing diabetes, with a lifetime risk as high as 80%.
- risk increases with duration of pancreatitis and presence of calcific pancreatitis
- people with chronic pancreatitis should be offered monitoring of HbA1c for diabetes at least every 6 months
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