Alterations in exocrine pancreatic function after acute pancreatitis.

Exocrine pancreatic dysfunction (EPD) is a malabsorptive complication of pancreatic disorders that can lead to a host of symptoms ranging from flatulence to diarrhea and contribute to weight loss and metabolic bone disease. It is increasingly recognized to occur after acute pancreatitis (AP), including episodes with mild severity. The risk of developing EPD after AP is influenced by a range of factors, including the degree of acinar cell destruction and inflammation during AP, and persistent structural derangements following AP. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management of EPD after AP while highlighting key knowledge gaps.

Effect of Sitagliptin on Islet Function in Pancreatic Insufficient Cystic Fibrosis With Abnormal Glucose Tolerance.

PURPOSE: Impaired incretin secretion may contribute to the defective insulin secretion and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) that associate with worse clinical outcomes in pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis (PI-CF). The study objective was to test the hypothesis that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor-induced increases in intact incretin hormone [glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)] concentrations augment insulin secretion and glucagon suppression and lower postprandial glycemia in PI-CF with AGT. METHODS: 26 adults from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania CF Center with PI-CF and AGT [defined by oral glucose tolerance test glucose (mg/dL): early glucose intolerance (1-h ≥ 155 and 2-h < 140), impaired glucose tolerance (2-h ≥ 140 and < 200 mg/dL), or diabetes (2-h ≥ 200)] were randomized to a 6-month double-blind trial of DPP-4 inhibitor sitagliptin 100 mg daily or matched placebo; 24 completed the trial (n = 12 sitagliptin; n = 12 placebo). Main outcome measures were mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT) responses for intact GLP-1 and GIP, insulin secretory rates (ISRs), glucagon suppression, and glycemia and glucose-potentiated arginine (GPA) test-derived measures of ß- and α-cell function. RESULTS: Following 6-months of sitagliptin vs placebo, MMTT intact GLP-1 and GIP responses increased (P < 0.001), ISR dynamics improved (P < 0.05), and glucagon suppression was modestly enhanced (P < 0.05) while GPA test responses for glucagon were lower. No improvements in glucose tolerance or ß-cell sensitivity to glucose, including for second-phase insulin response, were found. CONCLUSIONS: In glucose intolerant PI-CF, sitagliptin intervention augmented meal-related incretin responses with improved early insulin secretion and glucagon suppression without affecting postprandial glycemia.

Low Bone Mineral Density and Risk for Osteoporotic Fractures in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis.

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) can lead to malnutrition, an established risk factor for low bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures. This study aims to determine the prevalence of low BMD, assess fracture incidence and explore risk factors for fractures in patients with CP. Patients and methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients treated for CP at Karolinska University Hospital between January 1999 and December 2020. Electronic medical records were retrieved to assess demographic, laboratory and clinical data. Patients subjected to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were categorised as either low BMD or normal BMD. We investigated whether the rate of fractures, defined by chart review, differed between these groups using Cox regression, adjusting the model for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Additional within-group survival analysis was conducted to identify potential risk factors. Results: DXA was performed in 23% of patients with definite CP. Some 118 patients were included in the final analysis. Low BMD was present in 63 (53.4%) patients. Mean age at CP diagnosis in the total cohort was 53.1 years and was significantly lower in patients with normal BMD than in patients with low BMD (45.5 vs. 59.8, p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in smoking status and disease aetiology, i.e., a higher proportion of patients with low BMD were current or former smokers, with nicotine or alcohol being a more common cause of CP (p < 0.05). Total follow-up time was 898 person-years. Fractures were found in 33 (28.0%) patients: in 5 of 55 patients (16.7%) with normal DXA and in 28 of 63 patients (44.4%) with low BMD (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-9.6). Patients with at least 3 months of consecutive pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) or vitamin D treatment had a longer median time to fracture after CP diagnosis. Conclusion: DXA was only performed in 23% of patients with definite CP in this study, indicating a low adherence to current European guidelines. A low BMD was found in 53.4% of patients with CP, and 44% of the patients with a low BMD experienced a fracture during follow-up. Moreover, the fracture rate in patients with low BMD increased compared to those with normal BMD.

Endoscopic Pancreatic Drainage Improves Exocrine Pancreatic Function in Patients With Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Double-Blind, Prospective, Randomized, Single-Center, Interventional Study.

OBJECTIVES: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is a frequent and clinically relevant complication of pancreatic cancer probably secondary to pancreatic duct obstruction. We aimed at evaluating the impact of endoscopic pancreatic drainage on pancreatic function in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. METHODS: A double-blind, prospective, randomized, single-center, interventional study was designed. Patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for jaundice secondary to unresectable pancreatic cancer were randomized to biliary drainage (group A) or biliopancreatic drainage (group B). Pancreatic function was evaluated by 13C-mixed triglyceride breath test before and 2 weeks after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Breath test result is expressed as 13C-cumulative recovery rate. Abdominal symptoms and nutritional markers were evaluated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included. Sixteen patients had exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and 13 completed the study (7 in group A and 6 in group B). The median absolute improvement of 13C-cumulative recovery rate was of 23.75% (interquartile range, 9.62-31.74) after biliopancreatic drainage compared with -1.92% (interquartile range, -4.17 to 13.92) after biliary drainage (P = 0.015). Nutritional markers improved after biliopancreatic drainage, but not after biliary drainage. CONCLUSIONS: Biliopancreatic and not biliary endoscopic drainage is associated with a significant improvement of exocrine pancreatic function in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Effect of Pancrelipase Therapy on Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Symptoms and Coefficient of Fat Absorption Associated With Chronic Pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether improvement in coefficient of fat absorption (CFA) with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy correlates with clinical symptoms in patients with chronic pancreatitis with moderate to severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. METHODS: Data were pooled from 2 randomized double-blind trials of the effects of 1 week of pancrelipase (n = 59) versus placebo (n = 57) on CFA and stool frequency, stool consistency, abdominal pain, and flatulence; 1 trial included a 51-week open-label pancrelipase treatment period (n = 34). RESULTS: Compared with placebo, significantly more patients receiving pancrelipase reported decreased stool frequency at week 1 (72% vs 38%; P < 0.001). Although 30% of patients receiving pancrelipase and 20% receiving placebo reported improved stool consistency, changes in stool consistency, abdominal pain, and flatulence were not different between groups. Mean CFA absolute change from baseline was significantly greater with pancrelipase versus placebo (24.7% vs 6.4%; P < 0.001). Improvements in stool consistency and frequency correlated with CFA improvement. Symptom improvements persisted or further improved through 52 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Pancrelipase significantly improved exocrine pancreatic insufficiency maldigestive symptoms. Improvements in objective stool symptoms with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy correlated with CFA improvement at 1 week.

Influence of pre-diabetic and pancreatic exocrine states on pulmonary and nutritional status in adults with Cystic Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: In 1992, a landmark study demonstrated clinical deterioration in respiratory function and nutritional status prior to the onset of cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD). We re-evaluated this outcome. METHODS: The Montreal Cystic Fibrosis Cohort is a prospective CFRD screening study. We performed a 6-year retrospective analysis of nutritional parameters and FEV1 (%) in subjects who developed incident CFRD and in controls who maintained normoglycemia (NG). In the former group, data was collected over 6 years prior to diabetes onset. RESULTS: Subjects (n = 86) had a mean age of 31.7 ± 8.1 years, BMI of 23.0 ± 4.0 kg/m2, and FEV1% of 70.1 ± 24.2%. Eighty-one percent had pancreatic insufficiency (PI). Patients were grouped as follows: NG+PS (pancreatic sufficient) (n = 16), NG+PI (pancreatic insufficient) (n = 21), CFRD+PS (n = 3) and CFRD+PI (n = 46). At their most recent screen NG+PS subjects had significantly greater BMI, as compared to NG+PI and CFRD+PI groups (26.2 ± 3.6 kg/m2 vs 22.6 ± 4.2 kg/m2 vs 22.1 ± 3.5 kg/m2, p = 0.0016). FEV1 was significantly greater in the NG+PS group (91.5 ± 16.8% vs 67.8 ± 25.3% vs 63.5 ± 22.2%, p = 0.0002). The rates of change in weight, BMI, fat mass (%), and FEV1 prior to the most recent visit (NG+PS, NG+PI groups) or to the diagnosis of de novo CFRD were similar between groups. CONCLUSION: In a contemporary context, CFRD onset is not preceded by deterioration in BMI, fat mass, or pulmonary function. Low BMI and FEV1 are more closely associated with PI than a pre-diabetic state.

Long-term instability of the intestinal microbiome is associated with metabolic liver disease, low microbiota diversity, diabetes mellitus and impaired exocrine pancreatic function.

OBJECTIVE: The intestinal microbiome affects the prevalence and pathophysiology of a variety of diseases ranging from inflammation to cancer. A reduced taxonomic or functional diversity of the microbiome was often observed in association with poorer health outcomes or disease in general. Conversely, factors or manifest diseases that determine the long-term stability or instability of the microbiome are largely unknown. We aimed to identify disease-relevant phenotypes associated with faecal microbiota (in-)stability. DESIGN: A total of 2564 paired faecal samples from 1282 participants of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were collected at a 5-year (median) interval and microbiota profiles determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The changes in faecal microbiota over time were associated with highly standardised and comprehensive phenotypic data to determine factors related to microbiota (in-)stability. RESULTS: The overall microbiome landscape remained remarkably stable over time. The greatest microbiome instability was associated with factors contributing to metabolic syndrome such as fatty liver disease and diabetes mellitus. These, in turn, were associated with an increase in facultative pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae or Escherichia/Shigella. Greatest stability of the microbiome was determined by higher initial alpha diversity, female sex, high household income and preserved exocrine pancreatic function. Participants who newly developed fatty liver disease or diabetes during the 5-year follow-up already displayed significant microbiota changes at study entry when the diseases were absent. CONCLUSION: This study identifies distinct components of metabolic liver disease to be associated with instability of the intestinal microbiome, increased abundance of facultative pathogens and thus greater susceptibility toward dysbiosis-associated diseases.

The Gut Microbiome in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis Is Characterized by Significant Dysbiosis and Overgrowth by Opportunistic Pathogens.

INTRODUCTION: Exocrine pancreatic function is a critical host factor in determining the intestinal microbiota composition. Diseases affecting the exocrine pancreas could therefore influence the gut microbiome. We investigated the changes in gut microbiota of patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). METHODS: Patients with clinical and imaging evidence of CP (n = 51) were prospectively recruited and compared with twice the number of nonpancreatic disease controls matched for distribution in age, sex, body mass index, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and exocrine pancreatic function (stool elastase). From stool samples of these 153 subjects, DNA was extracted, and intestinal microbiota composition was determined by bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: Patients with CP exhibited severely reduced microbial diversity (Shannon diversity index and Simpson diversity number, P < 0.001) with an increased abundance of facultative pathogenic organisms (P < 0.001) such as Enterococcus (q < 0.001), Streptococcus (q < 0.001), and Escherichia.Shigella (q = 0.002). The CP-associated changes were independent of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Short-chain fatty acid producers, considered protective for epithelia such as Faecalibacterium (q < 0.001), showed reduced abundance in patients with CP. Of 4 additional patients with CP previously treated with antibiotics (ceftriaxone and metronidazole), 3 patients were characterized by distinct Enterococcus overgrowth. DISCUSSION: CP is associated with marked gut microbiota dysbiosis, greatly reduced diversity, and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens, specifically those previously isolated from infected pancreatic necrosis. Taxa with a potentially beneficial role in intestinal barrier function are depleted. These changes can increase the probability of complications from pancreatitis such as infected fluid collections or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (see Graphical Abstract, Supplementary Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/CTG/A383).

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. Most patients are diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, either at locally advanced or metastatic stages, and have a high rate of malnutrition and weight loss which are associated with poor outcomes. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is one of the causes of malnutrition and weight loss in these patients. The prevalence and clinical consequences of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in advanced pancreatic cancer are poorly investigated with heterogeneous results. We sought to determine the prevalence and clinical consequences of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and the effect of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer by systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Scopus, Medline, and Embase were searched for cohort studies or randomised clinical trials reporting pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and/or the effect of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. We considered pancreatic exocrine insufficiency as an abnormal result on direct and/or indirect pancreatic exocrine function tests. Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy was evaluated by its effect on survival and quality of life in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies were included; seven studies reported the prevalence of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and seven the effect of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. The pooled prevalence of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in advanced pancreatic cancer was 72% (95% confidence interval: 55-86%), being significantly higher when tumours were located in the pancreatic head (relative risk = 3.36, 1.07-10.54; p = 0.04) six studies investigated the impact of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy on survival/quality of life. Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy was associated with 3.8 months (95% confidence interval: 1.37-6.19) survival benefit. Patients receiving pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy had a trend towards a better quality of life.Conclusions The prevalence of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in advanced pancreatic cancer is substantial and its treatment can improve the outcomes of these patients.

The Applicability of a Checklist for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency: Results of the Italian Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a rapid checklist capable of identifying exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in outpatients. METHODS: Prospective observational study of a multicenter cohort. RESULTS: One hundred and two patients were enrolled; 61.8% of the patients had medically-treated benign or malignant pancreatic disease, and 38.2% had a pancreatic resection. Visual examination of the feces was evaluated in 84 patients and it was related to steatorrhea in 51 patients (50.0%). Receiver operating characteristic curves were evaluated for each symptom or clinical sign and four of them (ie, increase in daily bowel movements, number of bowel movements, fatty stools, >10% weight loss) had a satisfactory area under the curve. At multivariate analysis, fatty stools and >10% weight loss entered into this analysis having an area under the curve of 0.916 (95% confidence interval, 0.851-0.981). At 1 month and at one year of follow-up, the pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy administered showed that pancreatic extracts were able to significantly improve the increase in daily bowel movements, the number of bowel movements, fatty and bulky stools and >10% weight loss. CONCLUSION: Both fatty stools and >10% weight loss were able to clinically evaluate steatorrhea, and their improvement was sufficient to evaluate substitution therapy.

Pancreatic ß-cells in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: different pathways to failure.

Loss of functional ß-cell mass is the key mechanism leading to the two main forms of diabetes mellitus - type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Understanding the mechanisms behind ß-cell failure is critical to prevent or revert disease. Basic pathogenic differences exist in the two forms of diabetes mellitus; T1DM is immune mediated and T2DM is mediated by metabolic mechanisms. These mechanisms differentially affect early ß-cell dysfunction and eventual fate. Over the past decade, major advances have been made in the field, mostly delivered by studies on ß-cells in human disease. These advances include studies of islet morphology and human ß-cell gene expression in T1DM and T2DM, the identification and characterization of the role of T1DM and T2DM candidate genes at the ß-cell level and the endoplasmic reticulum stress signalling that contributes to ß-cell failure in T1DM (mostly IRE1 driven) and T2DM (mostly PERK-eIF2α dependent). Here, we review these new findings, focusing on studies performed on human ß-cells or on samples obtained from patients with diabetes mellitus.

Endoscopic treatment with transmural drainage and necrosectomy for walled-off necrosis provides favourable long-term outcomes on pancreatic function.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Several studies have shown improved short-term outcome with endoscopic transmural drainage and necrosectomy for the treatment of walled-off pancreatic necrosis. However, knowledge on the long-term prognosis after such treatment is limited. The aim of present study was to evaluate long-term outcomes in patients endoscopically treated with transmural drainage and necrosectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively follow up 125 patients with walled-off pancreatic necrosis treated with endoscopic transmural drainage and necrosectomy in 2010-2017. All patients received plastic pigtail stents and nasocystic catheter. Additional external drainage was performed in 41 patients. Main outcomes were survival, pancreatic function, development of co-morbidities, ability to work and social status. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 4.3 years, nine (7%) patients died. Seven deaths were unrelated to pancreatic disease, and two patients died of pancreatic cancer. Twenty-two (18%) patients developed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Thirty-six (32%) previous non-diabetics developed endocrine insufficiency. Endoscopic necrosectomy during admission (odds ratio (OR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.56; p = 0.015) and therapy on the main pancreatic duct (OR = 8.08, 95% CI 2.43-26.9; p < 0.001) during follow-up predicted development of exocrine insufficiency. Severity on computed tomography predicted endocrine insufficiency (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.24-2.09; p < 0.001). Most patients regained their working capacity and preserved their marital status. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides robust data on the long-term outcome of patients with walled-off pancreatic necrosis treated with endoscopic transmural drainage and necrosectomy. The favourable outcomes on survival, pancreatic function and social status support current recommendations of endoscopic transmural drainage and necrosectomy being the treatment of choice for walled-off pancreatic necrosis.

A new ultrasound score for the assessment and follow-up of chronic pancreatitis: The 'Gemelli USCP score'.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound (US) is frequently the first line imaging technique used in patients with abdominal pain and clinical suspicion of chronic pancreatitis (CP), but its role in the diagnosis and follow-up of CP is still controversial. AIMS: We aimed to develop a dedicated score for the US staging of CP and to evaluate the agreement of this score with standard imaging techniques. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CP referred to the pancreatic outpatient clinic of A. Gemelli Hospital between June and September 2018 were recruited in the study. Patients underwent pancreatic US to evaluate different morphological parameters to develop an US based score system, called the Gemelli UltraSound Chronic Pancreatitis (USCP) score. RESULTS: The Gemelli USCP score significantly increased according to the Cambridge score for both mean value (p<0.0001) and each parameter evaluated (p<0.0001). Moreover, we found a significant correlation between the score and laboratory parameters related to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency such as vitamin D, B9, and B12 deficiency and fecal elastase values (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The development of a dedicated US score could be useful in the follow up of patients with CP as alternative non-invasive technique to standard radiological imaging.

Two cases of agenesis of the dorsal pancreas and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas (ADP) is a very rare disease with no specific symptoms, and the pathogenesis is not clear. Some patients will be accompanied by other diseases, such as pancreatic tumor or pancreatitis. But most cases are very atypical and difficult to distinguish. Some syndromes of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency are common in patients with ADP. Here, we report two cases of ADP and summarize the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of ADP. CASE PRESENTATION: Case A is a 65-year-old Chinese woman who presented with abdominal pain accompanied by nausea, bloating and acid reflux. The enhanced abdominal CT scan found nothing meaningful except the absence of the body and tail of the pancreas. The diagnosis was considered as gastrointestinal dysfunction cause by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and recovered after symptomatic treatment. Case B is a 61-year-old Chinese woman who presented with abdominal pain accompanied by fever, vomiting and bloating. The abdominal CT showed multiple stones in the gallbladder, and the body and tail of the patient's pancreas were absent. She was diagnosed with cholelithiasis and recovered after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. CONCLUSION: Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas (ADP) is a rare congenital disease with an unclear pathogenesis that presents multiple symptoms. It should be considered when the patients have non-specific, persistent and unexplained symptoms such as bloating or uncontrolled blood sugar. Imaging examination is helpful for diagnosis. And it does not require surgical intervention unless it accompanies other diseases, EPI need to be considered when the non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms appear.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are often accompanied by mostly mild forms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Despite high prevalence, little is known about the clinical consequences of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and its optimal (nutritional) treatment. Even less is known if and to what extent exocrine pancreas insufficiency also affects glycemic control in diabetes. This article aims for summarizing current clinical knowledge on screening, diagnosis, and treatment and gives an overview on the pathophysiology of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies reveal novel insights into the close interaction of acinar, ductal, and endocrine cells and the gut-pancreas axis. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is a clinically relevant, frequent but poorly understood disorder in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes of the Exocrine Pancreas Related to Hereditary Pancreatitis, an Update.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim was to review evidence about diabetes secondary to hereditary pancreatitis, seeking novel diagnostic and treatment features. RECENT FINDINGS: Hereditary pancreatitis (HP) is an autosomal dominant condition, characterized by recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis, progression to fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis. Clinical presentation includes diabetes of the exocrine pancreas (DEP). HP prevalence ranges from 0.3 to 0.57 per 100,000 people, with up to 80% of these develop DEP. This condition often requires specific interventions: with regard to metabolic control, metformin is the first choice for those with mild DEP, and for those in advanced disease, insulin is considered the first-line therapy. Insulin analogues and insulin pump therapy are preferred due to the brittle glycemic pattern and risk of hypoglycemia. In case of exocrine insufficiency, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy is recommended. Pancreatic polypeptide administration is a promising novel treatment feature. DEP due to HP appears to be a misdiagnosed condition. The requirement of specific management demonstrates the importance of this matter; therefore, appropriate recognition and classification are important.

Influence of pancreatic status on circulating plasma sterols in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a reduced intestinal absorption of cholesterol and in a preliminary study we observed differences in plasma sterol profile between patients with pancreatic sufficiency (PS) and those with pancreatic insufficiency (PI). Therefore, we hypothesized that the sterol analysis may contribute to study the digestion and absorption state of lipids in patients with CF. To this aim we evaluated plasma sterols in a significant number of adult patients with CF in relation to the pancreatic status. Methods Beside cholesterol, we measured phytosterols and lathosterol as markers of intestinal absorption and hepatic biosynthesis, respectively, by gas-chromatography in plasma of adult CF patients with pancreatic sufficiency (PS-CF, n = 57), insufficiency (PI-CF, n = 97) and healthy subjects (control group, CT, n = 71). Results PI-CF patients had cholesterol and phytosterols levels significantly lower than PS-CF and CT (p < 5 × 10-10) suggesting a reduced intestinal absorption of sterols related to PI. Instead, lathosterol was significantly higher in PI-CF patients than PS-CF and CT (p < 0.0003) indicating an enhanced cholesterol biosynthesis. In PI-CF patients, phytosterols positively correlate with vitamin E (p = 0.004). Both the classes of molecules need cholesterol esterase for the intestinal digestion, thus the reduced levels of such lipids in serum from PI-CF patients may depend on a reduced enzyme activity, despite the pancreatic enzyme supplementation in all PI-CF patients. Conclusions A plasma sterols profile may be useful to evaluate the metabolic status of lipids in adult patients with CF and could help to manage the pancreatic enzyme supplementation therapy.

Broadening the phenotypic spectrum of Pearson syndrome: Five new cases and a review of the literature.

Pearson syndrome (PS) is a multisystem mitochondrial respiratory chain disorder typically characterized by sideroblastic anemia and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. PS is caused by a single large-scale mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion. PS classically presents in the first year of life and may be fatal in infancy. Children who survive PS may progress to develop Kearns-Sayre syndrome later in life. The full phenotypic spectrum and prognosis of the condition continue to evolve. Here we report five new patients with PS with unique clinical presentations, including four patients with onset later than previously reported in the literature, and one patient with prenatal onset of symptoms. The timing and unique features of these presentations support an expanded phenotypic spectrum of single large-scale mtDNA deletion syndromes (SLSMDS) and reinforce the importance of including SLSMDS in the differential for children with complex multisystem presentations.

Chloride Conductance, Nasal Potential Difference and Cystic Fibrosis Pathophysiology.

PURPOSE: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem genetic disease caused by dysfunction of the epithelial anionic channel Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane conductance Regulator (CFTR). Decreased mucociliary clearance because of thickened mucus is part of the pulmonary disease pathophysiology. It is controversial if the thickened airway surface liquid (ASL) is caused by the deficient chloride secretion and excessive sodium (through ENaC) and water hyperabsorption from the periciliar fluid or by the lack of bicarbonate secretion with relative acidification of the ASL. Correlations between the magnitude of in vivo chloride conductance with phenotypic characteristics and CF genotype can help to elucidate these mechanisms and direct to new treatments. METHODS: Nasal potential difference was measured in 28 CF patients (age from 0.3 to 28 year) and correlated with pulmonary function, pancreatic phenotype, pulmonary colonization and genotype severity. RESULTS: The CFTR-chloride conductance was better in older patients (r = 0.40; P = 0.03), in patients with better pulmonary function (r = 0.48; P = 0.01), and was associated with genotype severity. Higher chloride diffusion in the presence of a favorable chemical gradient was associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa negativity (P < 0.05). More negative NPDmax was associated with pancreatic insufficiency (P < 0.01) as well with genotype severity, but not with the pulmonary function. CONCLUSIONS: The anion permeability through CFTR, mainly chloride, but bicarbonate as well, is the most critical factor in CF airway pathophysiology. Treatments primarily directed to correct CFTR function and/or airway acidity are clearly a priority.

Chronic pancreatitis and the heart disease: Still terra incognita?

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that chronic pancreatitis (CP) may be an independent risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). At the same time, it seems that congestive heart failure (CHF) and CP share the responsibility for the development of important clinical conditions such as sarcopenia, cachexia and malnutrition due to development of cardiac cachexia and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI), respectively. AIM: To explore the evidence regarding the association of CP and heart disease, more specifically CVD and CHF. METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Web of Science and Google Scholar was performed by two independent investigators to identify eligible studies where the connection between CP and CVD was investigated. The search was limited to articles in the English language. The last search was run on the 1st of May 2019. The primary outcomes were: (1) Incidence of cardiovascular event [acute coronary syndrome (ACS), chronic coronary disease, peripheral arterial lesions] in patients with established CP; and (2) Incidence of PEI in patients with CHF. RESULTS: Out of 1166 studies, only 8 were eligible for this review. Studies regarding PEI and CHF showed an important incidence of PEI as well as associated malabsorption of nutritional markers (vitamin D, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, folic acid, and prealbumin) in patients with CHF. However, after substitution of pancreatic enzymes, it seems that, at least, loss of appetite was attenuated. On the other side, studies investigating cardiovascular events in patients with CP showed that, in CP cohort, there was a 2.5-fold higher incidence of ACS. In another study, patients with alcohol-induced CP with concomitant type 3c diabetes had statistically significant higher incidence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in comparison to patients with diabetes mellitus of other etiologies. Earlier studies demonstrated a marked correlation between the clinical symptoms in CP and chronic coronary insufficiency. Also, statistically significant higher incidence of arterial lesions was found in patients with CP compared to the control group with the same risk factors for atherosclerosis (hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia). Moreover, one recent study showed that PEI is significantly associated with the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with CP. CONCLUSION: Current evidence implicates a possible association between PEI and malnutrition in patients with CHF. Chronic pancreatic tissue hypoxic injury driven by prolonged splanchnic hypoperfusion is likely to contribute to malnutrition and cachexia in patients with CHF. On the other hand, CP and PEI seem to be an independent risk factor associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.