Clinical Nutrition

Lesson 21: Pancreatitis

Chronic relapsing pancreatitis

Chronic relapsing pancreatitis evolves over the years and is often related to alcohol consumption. With each cycle of necrosis, the organ is replaced by fibrotic tissue so that less and less of acinous and islet tissue remain. This leads to lower production of enzymes and insulin. This in turn leads to diabetes, steatorrhoea, deficiency of fat soluble vitamins and weight loss.