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Aetiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

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

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