Certain Background Factors Exhibit an Association With an Increased Risk for Pancreatic Calcification Among Japanese Male Alcoholics

Abstract

This was a cross-sectional study conducted from April 2003 through March 2004 to investigate the background factors related to pancreatic calcification (PC) in male Japanese alcoholics. Helical computed tomography examination revealed PC in 44 of 263 alcoholics, and this group was further divisible into 3 subgroups: "scant" (n = 24), "moderate" (n = 6), and "extensive" PC subgroups (n = 14). The extensive subgroup was associated with larger daily ethanol consumption (P = 0.05) and high-alcohol beverages, such as whisky (P = 0.02). The moderate subgroup was associated with a longer duration of habitual drinking (P = 0.04), whereas the scant PC group was associated with never having smoked (P = 0.05) and with low-alcohol beverages, such as beer (P = 0.09). None of the 40 subjects with inactive mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2*2 allele) exhibited PC (P = 0.004). Heterozygous alcohol dehydrogenase 2 genotype (ADH2*1/2*2) exhibited an association with the scant subgroup (P = 0.02). The TG12 repeats in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene tended to have a weak association with PC. Drinking behavior, smoking status, and genetic backgrounds are associated with PC and are likely to increase the risk for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis.