Malnutrition is not an etiological factor in the development of tropical pancreatitis--a case-control study of southern Indian patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Malnutrition is implicated as an etiological factor in tropical pancreatitis (TP). The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether malnutrition is the cause or the result of TP.

METHODS

Consecutive recently diagnosed patients with TP were evaluated for their nutritional status and dietary patterns before and after the onset of TP. The nutritional status of patients before the onset of TP was compared with that of healthy controls to demonstrate the role of malnutrition as an etiological factor for TP.

RESULTS

Of 256 consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis, 89 were diagnosed as TP patients with disease duration of less than 1 year (mean age 32.14 +/- 14 years; 60% males) and comprised the study group. The nutritional status before the onset of TP was comparable with that of controls (n = 101) with 15% of patients and 12% of the controls being malnourished (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2). However, after the onset of TP, 52% (n = 46) of patients lost weight and the percentage of malnourished patients increased from 15% to 38% (p = < 0.001) indicating that there was significant weight loss after the disease onset. When the causes of weight loss were evaluated, it was found that low calorie intake significantly contributed to weight loss (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition is not an etiological factor of TP and weight loss occurred as a result of low calorie intake after the onset of TP.