Aetiology
Alcohol accounts for up to 80% of all cases of chronic pancreatitis. Other causes include:
- congenital - pancreas divisum; annular pancreas
- hereditary - sometimes with cyclical neutropenia
- cystic fibrosis - in young adults
- hypercalcaemia
- hyperlipidaemia
- obstruction of the pancreatic duct can cause chronic pancreatitis.
- mechanical or structural changes of the pancreatic - duct sphincter, pseudocysts, post - traumatic ductal strictures, periampullary tumours.
- gallstones is an uncommon cause.
- a pancreas divisum is a very rare cause.
- idiopathic - 30 - 40% of patients; tend to cluster in two groups - a younger group (with peak incidence of 15 - 30 years of age) and an older group (peak of 50 - 70 years)
- autoimmune disease, in particular IgG4 disease
Reference
- Singh V et al. Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Pancreatitis: A Review. JAMA 2019 Dec 24;322(24):2422-2434
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