Epidemiology, Etiology, and Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis in Korea

Lee, Dong Ki

Abstract

Most of the epidemiologic data on chronic pancreatitis available are limited by the lack of definition of diagnostic criteria. Moreover, unfortunately in Korea, epidemiologic studies on chronic pancreatitis are very limited. The incidence of chronic pancreatitis is more common and the stage of disease is more advanced in rural area compared to urban area, due to high incidence of heavy drinker. In Korea, the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis is alcohol, followed by idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. A considerable proportion of patients in Korea with advanced form of chronic pancreatitis, show diabetes mellitus, but severe steatorrhea is extremely rare. This can be explained by the low dietary fat intake in Korean patients. Treatment for pain and exocrine and endocrine insufficiency is required in the advanced stage of chronic pancreatitis. Conservative management is the first step for treatment of pain. Endoscopic management, nerve block and surgical treatment can be employed as further treatment steps. At present, the evidence supporting the use of endoscopic therapy for pain in chronic pancreatitis is largely confined to short-term focused observation. Even with the advancement of many therapeutic modalities, control of symptoms resulting from advancement of chronic pancreatits remains a challanging field for the clinician.