Rising incidence and impact of early-onset colorectal cancer in the Asia-Pacific with higher mortality in females from Southeast Asia: a global burden analysis from 2010 to 2019.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) is a growing global health concern, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. However, comprehensive research on this topic from the region is lacking. Our study aims to investigate trends in early-onset CRC in Asia over 10 years, filling this research gap. METHODS: This study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to assess temporal trends in early-onset CRC in the Asia-Pacific. The analysis included estimating annual frequencies and age-standardized rates (ASRs) of early-onset CRC incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by gender. RESULTS: The incidence of early-onset CRC significantly increased in both regions with higher increase and in the Western Pacific region. Notable increases were observed among males in the Western Pacific and females in Southeast Asia (SEA). Mortality rates remained stable in the Western Pacific but increased by 10.6% in SEA, especially among females. DALYs due to CRC also increased significantly in SEA, with a greater rise among females. The Western Pacific had the highest CRC incidence, and in SEA, the mortality rate was higher in females than males. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals a substantial increase in early-onset CRC in the Asia-Pacific underscoring the urgency for effective interventions. Thus, a comprehensive approach comprising controlled risk reduction, health promotion to heightened disease awareness, and implementation of effective screening strategies should be executed timely to mitigate the burden of early-onset CRC.

Timing and Outcomes of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy After Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Guidelines recommend using percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for dysphagia after 2 weeks of stroke onset. We aimed to study the impact of PEG timing on outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: In this retrospective study of patients with ischemic stroke and PEG between 2014 and 2019, early PEG was defined as PEG tube placed within 14 days of stroke and late PEG after 14 days. Outcomes of 30-day mortality, PEG-related complications, and functional swallow recovery were compared between early and late PEG. Logistic regression model assessed factors associated with PEG timing. Results: The median time of PEG tube placement after stroke was 10.9 days. Of the 161 included patients, 60.9% had early PEG, and its associated patient factors were nursing facility discharge (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 3.4, confidence interval (CI): 1.48 - 7.82) and infection (OR: 0.32, CI: 0.139 - 0.178). Late PEG had 3.27 times greater odds of swallowing recovery, but mortality and complications were not significantly different between early and late PEG. Conclusions: Skilled nursing facility disposition and lack of infection were predictors of early PEG, constituting the majority of PEG placed for ischemic stroke-related dysphagia. Although better odds of swallowing recovery were seen with late PEG, likely implicating better patient selection, overall, the timing of PEG tube placement did not impact short-term mortality and complications.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration for Diagnosis of Pancreatic Metastases Secondary to Ovarian Carcinoma.

Pancreatic metastases from ovarian carcinoma are rare. We present a case of a patient with pancreatic metastasis from primary ovarian carcinoma diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Our case illustrates a unique presentation of a patient with ovarian carcinoma presenting with symptoms secondary to common bile duct dilatation from a pancreatic head mass confirmed through a much less invasive approach. This diagnosis was essential in determining management and prognosis for the patient.

The Impact of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy on 30-Day Readmission Rate for Acute Cholangitis Patients: A Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVES: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) following acute gallstone cholangitis reduces the recurrence of biliary symptoms; however, the timing of LC has not been determined yet. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of performing LC during admission on the 30-day readmission rate. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of acute gallstone cholangitis patients who underwent endoscopic clearance (EC) of the bile duct through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography between April 2013 and May 2018. Patients were classified into two groups: EC only group and EC followed by LC during admission (EC + LC) group. The primary outcome was the 30-day readmission rate. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients with acute cholangitis were included in the analysis. Of these patients, 35 patients (36.8%) underwent LC during admission. The 30-day readmission rate was significantly lower in the EC + LC group compared to the EC group (2.9% vs. 26.7%, P 0.003). In a multivariate regression analysis, patients who underwent LC during admission had 90% lower odds of readmission within 30 days compared to patients who did not (OR 0.1, 95% CI (0.01-0.9), P 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy during admission for acute gallstone cholangitis patients following endoscopic clearance of the bile duct significantly reduced the 30-day readmission rate without affecting the length of stay.

Gastric vascular abnormalities: diagnosis and management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Gastric vascular abnormalities are a well known cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. Due to their recurrent bleeding tendency and potential to cause life-threatening blood loss, gastric vascular abnormalities can result in significant morbidity and cost. RECENT FINDINGS: There have been novel advances in medical and endoscopic management of gastric vascular lesions. New data suggest that endoscopic band ligation and ablation may be comparable, or even superior, to argon plasma coagulation (APC) for management of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE). A creative, highly sensitive and specific computer-assisted tool has been developed to facilitate reading video capsule endoscopies for the detection of angiodysplasias, paving the way for artificial intelligence incorporation in vascular lesions diagnostics. Over-the-scope clipping is a relatively new technology that shows promising results in controlling bleeding from Dieulafoy's lesions. SUMMARY: In this article, we will broadly review the management of the most prevalent gastric vascular lesions, focusing on the most recent areas of research.

Updates on management of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common and life-threatening condition in the United States and worldwide. RECENT FINDINGS: There have been several exciting recent advances in the endoscopic management of UGIB. One such advance is the recent approval of Hemospray by US Food and Drug Administration in May 2018. Another one is the emerging role of video capsule endoscopy as a triage and localization tool for UGIB patients. Finally, the development of new reversal agents for antithrombotic medications is an important advance in the management of life-threatening upper gastrointestinal bleed. SUMMARY: In this article, we will broadly review the management of nonvariceal UGIB, focusing primarily on the data addressing these new advances.

Somatic molecular analysis augments cytologic evaluation of pancreatic cyst fluids as a diagnostic tool.

Objective: Better tools are needed for early diagnosis and classification of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL) to trigger intervention before neoplastic precursor lesions progress to adenocarcinoma. We evaluated the capacity of molecular analysis to improve the accuracy of cytologic diagnosis for PCL with an emphasis on non-diagnostic/negative specimens. Design: In a span of 7 years, at a tertiary care hospital, 318 PCL endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirations (EUS-FNA) were evaluated by cytologic examination and molecular analysis. Mucinous PCL were identified based on a clinical algorithm and 46 surgical resections were used to verify this approach. The mutation allele frequency (MAF) of commonly altered genes (BRAF, CDKN2A, CTNNB1, GNAS, RAS, PIK3CA, PTEN, SMAD4, TP53 and VHL) was evaluated for their ability to identify and grade mucinous PCL. Results: Cytology showed a diagnostic sensitivity of 43.5% for mucinous PCL due in part to the impact of non-diagnostic (28.8%) and negative (50.5%) specimens. Incorporating an algorithmic approach or molecular analysis markedly increased the accuracy of cytologic evaluation. Detection of mucinous PCL by molecular analysis was 93.3% based on the detection of KRAS and/or GNAS gene mutations (p = 0.0001). Additional genes provided a marginal improvement in sensitivity but were associated with cyst type (e.g. VHL) and grade (e.g. SMAD4). In the surgical cohort, molecular analysis and the proposed algorithm showed comparable sensitivity (88.9% vs. 100%). Conclusions: Incorporating somatic molecular analysis in the cytologic evaluation of EUS-FNA increases diagnostic accuracy for detection, classification and grading of PCL. This approach has the potential to improve patient management.

Acute Pancreatitis Task Force on Quality: Development of Quality Indicators for Acute Pancreatitis Management.

INTRODUCTION: Detailed recommendations and guidelines for acute pancreatitis (AP) management currently exist. However, quality indicators (QIs) are required to measure performance in health care. The goal of the Acute Pancreatitis Task Force on Quality was to formally develop QIs for the management of patients with known or suspected AP using a modified version of the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Methodology. METHODS: A multidisciplinary expert panel composed of physicians (gastroenterologists, hospitalists, and surgeons) who are acknowledged leaders in their specialties and who represent geographic and practice setting diversity was convened. A literature review was conducted, and a list of proposed QIs was developed. In 3 rounds, panelists reviewed literature, modified QIs, and rated them on the basis of scientific evidence, bias, interpretability, validity, necessity, and proposed performance targets. RESULTS: Supporting literature and a list of 71 proposed QIs across 10 AP domains (Diagnosis, Etiology, Initial Assessment and Risk Stratification, etc.) were sent to the expert panel to review and independently rate in round 1 (95% of panelists participated). Based on a round 2 face-to-face discussion of QIs (75% participation), 41 QIs were classified as valid. During round 3 (90% participation), panelists rated the 41 valid QIs for necessity and proposed performance thresholds. The final classification determined that 40 QIs were both valid and necessary. DISCUSSION: Hospitals and providers managing patients with known or suspected AP should ensure that patients receive high-quality care and desired outcomes according to current evidence-based best practices. This physician-led initiative formally developed 40 QIs and performance threshold targets for AP management. Validated QIs provide a dependable quantitative framework for health systems to monitor the quality of care provided to patients with known or suspected AP.

Quality of Care Indicators in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common and expensive condition. Improving quality of care in AP is vital to minimizing cost and improving patient outcomes. However, there has been little work accomplished toward developing and validating explicit quality indicators (QIs) in AP. AIMS: To define quality of care in patients with AP by developing explicit QIs using standardized techniques. METHODS: We used the UCLA/RAND Delphi panel approach to combine a comprehensive literature review with the collective judgment of experts to identify a defined set of process measures for AP. RESULTS: We produced 164 candidate QIs after a comprehensive literature review. After Delphi review, 75 had a median rating ≥ 7. We excluded 11 QIs where the disagreement index exceeded 1.0 and combined indicators overlapping in content to produce a final list of 22 QIs. Overall, 8 QIs related to diagnosis, prevention, or determination of etiology, 2 QIs focused on determination of severity, 3 QIs captured fluid resuscitation, 2 QIs measured nutrition, 1 QI use of antibiotics, and 6 QIs captured endoscopic or surgical management. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed 22 QIs spanning the spectrum of AP management including diagnosis, risk stratification, and pharmacological and endoscopic therapy. These QIs will facilitate future quality improvement by practitioners and organizations who treat patients with AP and further identify areas that are amenable to improvement to enhance patient care. We anticipate that this QI set will represent the first step in determining a framework for demonstrating value in the care of patients with AP.

Advances in management of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review new advances in managing nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. RECENT FINDINGS: Implementation of various scoring systems in combination with video capsule endoscopy assists in stratifying and managing nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. New techniques such as thermocoagulation and hemoclips are useful to treat bleeding. SUMMARY: The advancement of methods and procedures in managing nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding has decreased mortality of patients presenting with this type of hemorrhage. In this chapter, we will be discussing various scores to stratify nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding and techniques to stop bleeding.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency and Malnutrition in Chronic Pancreatitis: Identification, Treatment, and Consequences.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) on chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and to identify challenges with its diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with CP diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound were identified and assessed for symptoms of EPI, fat-soluble vitamin levels, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan T-scores, and treatment with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. All patients were also screened with the Malnutrition Universal Screening Test. RESULTS: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency was diagnosed in 84.6% (77/91) of patients based on symptoms of bloating, steatorrhea, or weight loss. Of these patients, 35.2% (19/54) had vitamin A deficiency, 62.5% (55/88) had vitamin D deficiency, and 17.7% (9/51) had vitamin E deficiency. Either osteopenia or osteoporosis was found in 68.9% (31/45). A medium or higher risk for malnutrition based on Malnutrition Universal Screening Test score of 1 or higher was found in 31.5% (28/89). Malnutrition Universal Screening Test score of 1 or higher was associated with an increased risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis on Fisher's exact test (P = 0.0037). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, osteopathy, and malnutrition in CP patients, which is underestimated due to a lack of effective diagnosis and suboptimal therapies for EPI.

Comparing efficacy of lumen-apposing stents to plastic stents in the endoscopic management of mature peripancreatic fluid collections: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Mature peripancreatic fluid collection (MPFC) is a known and often challenging consequence of acute pancreatitis and often requires intervention. The most common method accepted is the "step-up approach," which consists of percutaneous drainage followed, if necessary, by minimally invasive retroperitoneal necrosectomy. Our paper aims to distinguish between plastic stents and lumen-apposing stents in the endoscopic management of MPFC in terms of morbidity, mortality, and haste of fluid collection resolution. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed at UMass Memorial Medical Center in patients with a diagnosis of MPFC. Utilizing medical records, clinical data, radiology, as well as endoscopic evidence, patients were differentiated by stent type used (plastic versus lumen-apposing) for the management of the MPFC. The primary outcome of the study was to assess the time to MPFC resolution following the placement of either plastic or lumen-apposing stents (on endoscopic ultrasound or computerized tomography scan) using a multivariate analysis with a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were included in this study from UMass Memorial Medical Center between 2012 and 2015. Twelve (22%) of these patients received lumen-apposing stents and 42 (78%) of these patients received plastic pigtail stents. For the lumen-apposing stent group, the mean interval between stent placement and resolution of MPFC was 57 days as compared to 102 days for plastic pigtail stents (p=0.02). The mean interval for placement/removal of lumen-apposing stents was 48 days as compared to 81 days for plastic pigtail stents (p=0.01). Stent migration was seen in 5 patients (11%) who received a plastic pigtail stent compared to 0 (0%) patients who received a lumen-apposing stent. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates that lumen-apposing stents result in a significant reduction in the interval between stent placement and MPFC resolution as well as the time from stent placement to removal, when compared to plastic pigtail stents, the prior standard-of-care. Our study reached similar conclusions regarding the number of stents placed. However, we did not find a significant difference between the complication rates, specifically peri- and postprocedural bleeding or perforation, between the 2 study groups, as demonstrated in prior papers.

Quality of life comparison between smokers and non-smokers with chronic pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of smoking on quality of life in patients with chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of chronic pancreatitis patients followed at a single institution comparing smokers with non-smokers. The primary outcome was quality of life and secondary outcomes included demographics, drug and alcohol use, anxiety and depression, pain level, nutritional status, and metabolic factors. RESULTS: 48 smokers and 45 non-smokers participated in this study. Smokers had a worse overall quality of life and higher rates of opioid addiction and depression than non-smokers. Smokers also had less racial diversity, lower education levels, and higher amounts of narcotic use than non-smokers. Furthermore, smokers had a lower BMI and a higher proportional use of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. Smoking was found to be independently associated with worse quality of life on multivariable regression. CONCLUSIONS: The worse overall quality of life and higher rates of depression and anxiety create cause for concern in chronic pancreatitis patients who smoke. Smoking cessation should be an important target in chronic pancreatitis patients. Multicenter, multiethnic studies are needed to further elucidate this relationship.

Efficacy and Safety of Digital Single-Operator Cholangioscopy for Difficult Biliary Stones.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: It is not clear whether digital single-operator cholangioscopy (D-SOC) with electrohydraulic and laser lithotripsy is effective in removal of difficult biliary stones. We investigated the safety and efficacy of D-SOC with electrohydraulic and laser lithotripsy in an international, multicenter study of patients with difficult biliary stones. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 407 patients (60.4% female; mean age, 64.2 years) who underwent D-SOC for difficult biliary stones at 22 tertiary centers in the United States, United Kingdom, or Korea from February 2015 through December 2016; 306 patients underwent electrohydraulic lithotripsy and 101 (24.8%) underwent laser lithotripsy. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify factors associated with technical failure and the need for more than 1 D-SOC electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy session to clear the bile duct. RESULTS: The mean procedure time was longer in the electrohydraulic lithotripsy group (73.9 minutes) than in the laser lithotripsy group (49.9 minutes; P < .001). Ducts were completely cleared (technical success) in 97.3% of patients (96.7% of patients with electrohydraulic lithotripsy vs 99% patients with laser lithotripsy; P = .31). Ducts were cleared in a single session in 77.4% of patients (74.5% by electrohydraulic lithotripsy and 86.1% by laser lithotripsy; P = .20). Electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy failed in 11 patients (2.7%); 8 patients were treated by surgery. Adverse events occurred in 3.7% patients and the stone was incompletely removed from 6.6% of patients. On multivariable analysis, difficult anatomy or cannulation (duodenal diverticula or altered anatomy) correlated with technical failure (odds ratio, 5.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-21.2; P = .02). Procedure time increased odds of more than 1 session of D-SOC electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.03; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In a multicenter, international, retrospective analysis, we found D-SOC with electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy to be effective and safe in more than 95% of patients with difficult biliary stones. Fewer than 5% of patients require additional treatment with surgery and/or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy to clear the duct.

Gastric interventional endoscopy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review new advances in gastric interventional endoscopy. RECENT FINDINGS: Implementation of gastric endoscopy as a therapeutic option in obesity, gastric cancer, and gastroparesis. SUMMARY: Less invasive new gastric endoscopic procedures can potentially replace currently offered laparoscopic approaches in many fields. In this article, we will review the use of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty as a weight loss procedure, endoscopic submucosal dissection in treatment of early gastric cancer, and gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy in treatment of refractory gastroparesis. These procedures can increase access to bariatric weigh loss procedures, provide an organ-saving curative option for early gastric cancer, and offer a new modality to improve refractory gastroparesis.

Telephone-Based Mindfulness Therapy Intervention for Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have substantially impaired quality of life (QOL) both physically and mentally. Mindfulness therapy is a form of treatment that has been shown to be beneficial in many medical conditions but has not been evaluated in the CP patient population. AIMS: The aims of this study were (1) to test the feasibility and usability of a novel telephone-based mindfulness therapy service for patients with CP and (2) to determine whether there was any effect on CP quality of life. METHODS: We recruited ten patients with suspected or confirmed CP and five controls who were asked to utilize our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service daily for 28 days. Feasibility of the service was defined as the fraction of subjects with a ≥50% compliance rate. Usability was assessed using a System Usability Scale (SUS). QOL was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire and the Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument (PANQOLI). Paired t tests were used to compare the SF-36 and PANQOLI pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: There was an overall compliance rate of 67%. The mean SUS score for all participants was 79.3, above the average published score of 68. Results showed a significant improvement in the SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores after 28 days of mindfulness therapy for patients with CP, t(9) = 2.48, p = 0.035. There was also a significant improvement in the mean total PANQOLI scores in CP patients, t(9) = 2.41, p = 0.04, most notably in the social domain. CONCLUSION: Our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service represents a feasible and easily usable treatment adjunct for patients with CP, which may provide benefit in QOL by improving mental health-related domains.

An update in the endoscopic management of gastric cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide and gastroenterologists are playing an increasingly larger role in its management. This article reviews the endoscopic management of gastric cancer, with emphasis on recent advances in the field. RECENT FINDINGS: Long-term studies comparing surgery and endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer have shown no difference in 10-year survival rates. Second-look endoscopy, performed 2 days after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to address the concern of delayed bleeding, may not affect rebleeding rates. Magnesium, proton pump inhibitors, and bupivacaine may help reduce post-ESD pain. New devices such as the Clutch Cutter and EndoLifter may help make ESD easier and safer. SUMMARY: Endoscopic therapy for early gastric cancer is becoming increasingly popular and innovations are constantly being made to improve technique and technology. This review focuses on the latest approaches to the endoscopic management of gastric cancer.

Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument: A Psychometric Evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic pancreatitis is a significant medical problem that impacts a large number of patients worldwide. In 2014, we developed a disease-specific instrument for the evaluation of quality of life in this group of patients: pancreatitis quality of life instrument (PANQOLI). The goal of this study was to evaluate its psychometric properties: its reliability and its construct validity. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional multi-center study that involved 12 pancreatic disease centers. Patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria for chronic pancreatitis were invited to participate. Those who accepted were asked to complete seven questionnaires/instruments. Only patients who completed the PANQOLI were included in the study. Its reliability and its construct validity were tested. RESULTS: A total of 159 patients completed the PANQOLI and were included in the study. They had a mean age of 49.03, 49% were male, and 84% were Caucasian. Six of the 24 items on the scale were removed because of lack of inter-item correlation, redundancy, or lack of correlation to quality of life issues. The final 18-item scale had excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.914) and excellent construct validity with good correlation to generic quality of life instruments (SF-12 and EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-PAN26) and lack of correlation to non-quality of life instruments (MAST and DAST). Through exploratory factor analysis, the PANQOLI was found to consist of four subscales: emotional function scale, role function scale, physical function scale, and "self-worth" scale. CONCLUSIONS: PANQOLI is the first disease-specific instrument to be developed and validated for the evaluation of quality of life in chronic pancreatitis patients. It has a unique subscale for "self-worth" that differentiates it from other generic instruments. Studies are currently under way to evaluate its use in other populations not included in this study.

Smoking Cessation in a Chronic Pancreatitis Population.

OBJECTIVES: Smoking is a known risk factor for developing chronic pancreatitis and accelerates disease progression. Smoking cessation remains an important treatment recommendation, but little is known about its effects. This study evaluated smoking cessation in this population and its impact on quality of life. METHODS: Twenty-seven smokers with chronic pancreatitis participated in a smoking cessation program incorporating the QuitWorks program and individual counseling. Their smoking cessation rates were compared with a control population (n = 200) consisting of inpatients without chronic pancreatitis who smoked. Smokers were also compared with nonsmokers (n = 25) with chronic pancreatitis in terms of quality-of-life indicators. RESULTS: In 27 patients, 0 had quit smoking at 6 months, 1 at 12 months, and 0 patients at 18 months. There was a 19% quit rate in the control population at the 6-month period. Smokers had a worse quality of life, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and worse coping skills than nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation in the chronic pancreatitis population is extremely challenging, as shown by our 0% quit rate after 18 months. Given that smokers with chronic pancreatitis also experience a worse quality of life, it becomes even more important to stress the importance of smoking cessation in these patients.