Improving Quality of Life in Chronic Pancreatitis

Nutritional status, exocrine pancreatic function, employment status, and patients' coping strategy were identified as key factors that can be influenced to improve the quality of life among patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), according to recent research published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

The investigators noted that studies of the impact of CP on quality of life (QoL) have been scarce. “This study aims to gain insight into the course and predictors of QoL in patients with CP using prospective longitudinal data from a large cohort of patients.”

The researchers conducted post hoc analysis of patients with diagnosed CP between 2011 and 2019, who were registered in a prospective database in the Netherlands. Medical records and follow-up questionnaires were assessed to identify patient and disease characteristics, nutritional status, pain severity, medication usage, pancreatic function, and pancreatic interventions. At baseline and during follow-up, the physical and mental component summary scales of the Short-Form 36 were used to assess both domains of QoL.

“Overall, 1,165 patients with definite CP were included for this analysis. During 10-year follow-up, generalized linear mixed model analyses revealed improvements in both physical (41.6–45.2, P < 0.001) and mental (45.9–46.6, P = 0.047) QoL,” the investigators wrote. “Younger age, current alcohol consumption, employment, no need for dietetic consultation, no steatorrhea, lower Izbicki pain score, and pain coping mechanism were positively associated with physical QoL (P < 0.05). For mental QoL, a positive correlation was found between employment, nonalcoholic CP, no need for dietetic consultation, no steatorrhea, lower Izbicki pain score, pain coping mechanism, and surgical treatment.”

The research found no association between disease duration and longitudinal QoL per patient, the authors added.

Reference:

de Rijk FEM, van Veldhuisen CL, Kempeneers MA, et al. Quality of life in patients with definite chronic pancreatitis: A nationwide longitudinal cohort study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2023;118(8): 1428-1438. DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002266