Clinical study of chronic pancreatitis patients in North Indian population and its outcome

Objectives Region based data of chronic pancreatitis (CP) in the North Indian Population were studied. We determined the incidence, prevalence, category distribution, region wise distribution and clinical data comparable with controls. Methods All consecutive patients in three years of time with tropical chronic pancreatitis (TCP) attending the Gastroenterology O.P.D. at S.G.P.G.I.M.S. Lucknow were included in the study as per inclusion criteria. Clinical diagnosis was based on phenotypic and radiological criteria and exocrine function tests. Patients giving the history of occasional alcohol consumption were excluded from the study. Results Mean age of patients was 49.9 +/- 14.8 years, of which 105 (56.6%) were male. Maximum number of patients was in the age group of 20 to 40 years. The age of presentation of disease occurs in Ist decade. Among 150 cases of CP, 49% of TCP patients were recruited with no other clinical complications. The history of all the patients indicated the age of onset of the disease at 26.04 +/- 9.8 years, which is quite early but confound diagnosis was usually established at later stages of 35.8 +/- 16.7 years. Cigarette's smoking was found quite common in 39% cases and diabetes gets precipitated in second and third decades of life in TCP patients that leads to complications in duration of calcification and pain. Conclusion The onset and incidence of CP cases diagnosed during life were found to be increased. Disease progression of CP patients was high in smokers as well as in the people having life style with comparable modifiable risk factors.