Impact of genetic testing and smoking on the distribution of risk factors in patients with recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of smoking dose and duration on the distribution of risk factor(s) in patients with RAP and CP, and the impact of genetic testing on the distribution of risk factor(s) in patients with idiopathic RAP and CP.

Methods

All adult patients with RAP and CP referred to a multidisciplinary pancreatitis clinic between 2010 and 2017 were evaluated. Risk factors included alcohol and smoking, hypertriglyceridemia, biliary, and other etiologies. Genetic testing was only pursued in patients with idiopathic RAP or CP.

Results

Among the 1770 patients evaluated, 167 had RAP and 303 had CP. After genetic testing and smoking, the most common risk factors for RAP and CP were pathogenic variant(s) (23%) and the combination of alcohol and smoking (23%), respectively. Genetic testing and smoking assessment decreased the proportion of patients with alcoholic RAP from 17% to 5%, alcoholic CP from 33% to 10%, idiopathic RAP from 49% to 12%, and idiopathic CP from 54% to 14%. Pathogenic CFTR variants were the most common variant in patients with RAP (51%) and CP (43%). Among the 68 patients with pancreas divisum, other risk factor(s) were identified in 72%.

Conclusion

Genetic testing and a detailed assessment of smoking dose and duration reduce the proportion of patients with alcoholic and idiopathic pancreatitis. Other risk factor(s) for pancreatitis are found in the majority of patients with pancreas divisum further questioning its role as an independent risk factor.

1. What is the current knowledge?

• Approximately 30% of patients with pancreatitis have no clear risk factor(s) and are categorized as having an idiopathic etiology.

• Pathogenic variant(s) as well as smoking dose and duration are well-established risk factors for recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis but are not widely recognized or incorporated into clinical practice.

2. What is new here?

• Genetic testing and a detailed assessment of smoking dose and duration reduced the proportion of patients with alcoholic and idiopathic acute recurrent and chronic pancreatitis.

• Approximately three-fourths of patients with pancreas divisum have a risk factor for pancreatitis.

Keywords:

• Recurrent acute pancreatitis
• chronic pancreatitis
• risk factors
• genetic testing
• smoking

Disclosure statement

E. A. is a medical advisory board participant for Nestle Health Science. V. K. S. is a consultant for AbbVie and Nestle Health Science; medical advisory board participant for Cook Medical, and receives grant support from Orgenesis, Theraly, and AbbVie. M. K. is a consultant for BSCI, Medtronic, Olympus, and GI Supply. These financial interests do not pertain directly to this work. For the remaining authors, no conflict of interest was declared.