Early chronic pancreatitis: is a clinical diagnosis possible?

Abstract

A “fatal chain” in pancreatology is discussed in the present article; peculiar attention is paid to an early chronic pancreatitis (CP), being one of the little-studied “links” in this range and corresponding to the latent period of CP(persistence of inflammation with the presence of biomarkers of CP, which does not meet the diagnostic criteria of proven or late CP, as well as the appearance of signs of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the form of reduced functional test results to 70% of normal). Features of the different stages of the pancreatic diseases’ course are presented, substantiatinganeed for a practical identification of the “early CP” diagnosis: "for" - the possibility of timely diagnosis, the identification of patients with an increased risk of prostate cancer; "against": the lack of specific antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory therapy, an increase in financial costs, no impact on the clinical outcome.Advantages and disadvantages of using the “early CP” diagnosis in practice are considered. The authors cite the provisions of the International Consensus on early CP, and list the current diagnostic criteria for this diseaseelaborated by the Japanese Pancreas Society. Advantages and disadvantagesof the instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods are analyzed, including probable early CP biomarkers (interleukin-8, prostaglandin E2). The most suitable therapeutic tactics for management of patients with early CP are presented, including correction of the exocrine and endocrinepancreatic function, as well as the use of antifibrotic drugs.