Benign pancreatic disease, including chronic pancreatitis, affects 5 to 24 million people in the US and in 2004 accounted for 445,000 hospitalisations and 881,000 physician visits.[16]Lowenfels AB, Sullivan T, Fiorianti J, et al. The epidemiology and impact of pancreatic diseases in the United States. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2005 May;7(2):90-5.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15802095?tool=bestpractice.com
[17]Everhart JE, Ruhl CE. Burden of digestive diseases in the United States part III: liver, biliary tract, and pancreas. Gastroenterology. 2009 Apr;136(4):1134-44.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19245868?tool=bestpractice.com
The incidence, prevalence, and mortality reported for chronic pancreatitis vary due to differences in study design, diagnostic criteria, and geography. Based on autopsy studies, the prevalence of chronic pancreatitis ranges from 0.04%[18]Sarles H. An international survey on nutrition and pancreatitis. Digestion. 1973;9(5):389-403.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4206286?tool=bestpractice.com
to 5%.[19]Olsen TS. The incidence and clinical relevance of chronic inflammation in the pancreas in autopsy material. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand A. 1978 Sep;86A(5):361-5.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/716898?tool=bestpractice.com
Overall incidence ranges from 2 to 14 cases per year per 100,000 people, and prevalence data (limited to a limited number of populations) ranges from 0.04% to 0.05%,[20]Machicado JD, Yadav D. Epidemiology of recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis: similarities and differences. Dig Dis Sci. 2017 Jul;62(7):1683-91.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478431/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28281168?tool=bestpractice.com
[21]Machicado JD, Rebours V, Yadav D. Epidemiology of chronic pancreatitis. July 2016 [internet publication].
https://www.pancreapedia.org/reviews/epidemiology-of-chronic-pancreatitis
which in the US would affect an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people and cost an estimated $3.6 billion annually.[22]Dennison AR, Garcea G. Economic burden of chronic pancreatitis and implications of total pancreatectomy and autologous islet cell transplantation. J Pancreas (Online). 2015 Sep;16(5):517-26.
http://pancreas.imedpub.com/economic-burden-of-chronic-pancreatitis-and-implications-of-total-pancreatectomy-and-autologous-islet-cell-transplantation.pdf
Large population studies show similarities. One French nationwide survey reported an incidence of 8.3 per 100,000 people per year and a prevalence of 0.03% (16,000 of 60,400,000 inhabitants),[23]Lévy P, Barthet M, Mollard BR, et al. Estimation of the prevalence and incidence of chronic pancreatitis and its complications. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2006 Jun-Jul;30(6-7):838-44.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16885867?tool=bestpractice.com
whereas one Olmsted County Minnesota population study spanning from 1977 to 2006 reported an incidence of 4.35 per 100,000 people per year and a prevalence of 0.04%.[24]Yadav D, Timmons L, Benson JT, et al. Incidence, prevalence, and survival of chronic pancreatitis: a population-based study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Dec;106(12):2192-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21946280?tool=bestpractice.com
In the only prospective study, the incidence of chronic pancreatitis in the Danish population was reported as 8.2 cases per year per 100,000 people and a prevalence of 0.03%.[25]Copenhagen pancreatitis study. An interim report from a prospective epidemiological multicentre study. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1981;16(2):305-12.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7313541?tool=bestpractice.com
A meta-analysis of 14 studies suggested that the prevalence of chronic pancreatitis was 10% after a first attack of pancreatitis and 36% after multiple attacks.[26]Sankaran SJ, Xiao AY, Wu LM, et al. Frequency of progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis and risk factors: a meta-analysis. Gastroenterology. 2015 Nov;149(6):1490-500.
http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(15)01175-0/fulltext
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26299411?tool=bestpractice.com
In Southern India, the prevalence of chronic pancreatitis has been reported to be 114 to 200 cases per 100,000 people. This is very high and is predominantly idiopathic/tropical pancreatitis.[27]Garg PK, Tandon RK. Survey on chronic pancreatitis in the Asia-Pacific region. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004 Sep;19(9):998-1004.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15304116?tool=bestpractice.com
The first survey in Japan (using the diagnostic criteria of the Japan Pancreas Society), conducted in 2002, estimated that the prevalence of autoimmune pancreatitis was 0.82 per 100,000 people. This condition was most prevalent in men over the age of 45 years.[28]Nishimori I, Tamakoshi A, Otsuki M; Research Committee on Intractable Disease of the Pancreas (Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan). Prevalence of autoimmune pancreatitis in Japan from a nationwide survey in 2002. J Gastroenterol. 2007;42(suppl. 18):6-8.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17520216?tool=bestpractice.com
In 1999, chronic pancreatitis was responsible for 3289 deaths in the US, ranking as the 235th leading cause of death. The age at presentation varies with aetiology. Hereditary pancreatitis has a peak age at 10 to 14 years, juvenile idiopathic chronic pancreatitis at 19 to 23 years, alcoholic chronic pancreatitis at 36 to 44 years, and senile idiopathic chronic pancreatitis at 56 to 62 years.[29]Mullhaupt B, Truninger K, Ammann R. Impact of etiology on the painful early stage of chronic pancreatitis: a long-term prospective study. Z Gastroenterol. 2005 Dec;43(12):1293-301.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16315124?tool=bestpractice.com
[30]Layer P, Yamamoto H, Kalthoff L, et al. The different courses of early- and late-onset idiopathic and alcoholic chronic pancreatitis. Gastroenterology. 1994 Nov;107(5):1481-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7926511?tool=bestpractice.com
[31]Lowenfels AB, Maisonneuve P, DiMagno EP, et al. Hereditary pancreatitis and the risk of pancreatic cancer: International Hereditary Pancreatitis Study Group. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1997 Mar 19;89(6):442-6.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9091646?tool=bestpractice.com
BMJ Best Practice is an evidence-based point of care tool for healthcare practitioners.
To continue reading and access all of BMJ Best Practice's pages you'll need to log in or start a free trial.
You can access through your institution if your hospital, university, trust or other institution provides access to BMJ Best Practice through either OpenAthens or Shibboleth.