[Diabetes mellitus in acute pancreatitis]. / Diabetes mellitus en pancreatitis aguda.

Exocrine and endocrine components of pancreas are interrelated anatomically and functionally. Exocrine pancreatic dysfunction often accompanies endocrine pancreatic impairment and vice versa. Diabetes mellitus resulting from alterations of exocrine pancreas, such as acute or chronic pancreatitis, is known as pancreatic diabetes. Hyperglycemia during acute pancreatitis (AP) can be due to abnormalities in insulin secretion, increase in counterregulatory hormones release, or decrease in glucose utilization by peripheral tissues. Causal association is suggested between diabetic ketoacidosis and AP and is attributed to alternation in metabolism of triglycerides. High blood glucose levels are associated with severe AP and constitute factor of worst prognosis. Some patients are discharged with diabetes after AP episode, while others develop diabetes during first year of follow-up. Origin and frequency of glycemic abnormalities associated with AP have not been settled yet accurately. Also, predictive factors for diabetes development and persistence after AP have not been recognized to date.

Cellular proliferative fraction measured with topoisomerase IIalpha predicts malignancy in endocrine pancreatic tumors.

CONTEXT: Endocrine pancreatic tumors (EPTs) are rare lesions with varying biological behavior. Establishing malignancy is a challenge for clinicians and pathologists. OBJECTIVE: To establish the role of proliferative, apoptotic, angiogenic, and hormonal markers as predictors of malignancy in EPTs. DESIGN: Paraffin-embedded EPT samples were studied for prognostic markers. PATIENTS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with a diagnosis of EPT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The proliferative fraction (topoisomerase IIalpha), microvascular density (CD34), vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) expression were studied by immunohistochemistry on all EPTs. Apoptosis was also assessed with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling. RESULTS: We identified 13 benign and 8 malignant tumors. Topoisomerase IIalpha was significantly increased in malignant tumors (P =.001), while there were no differences in apoptosis, microvascular density, or vascular endothelial growth factor expression in association with malignancy. No correlation could be identified between microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and ERbeta was not detected. A receiver operating characteristic curve for topoisomerase IIalpha disclosed that above a labeling index of 13, the test had 88% sensitivity and 100% specificity for predicting malignancy. CONCLUSION: Cellular proliferation measured with topoisomerase IIalpha is a simple prognostic marker for malignancy in EPTs, unlike apoptosis, angiogenesis, or the presence of ERbeta, which were not associated with malignant behavior. These findings designate a defined field for future research on endocrine pancreatic carcinogenesis and a possible target for chemotherapeutic agents.