[Diabetes and chronic pancreatitis. Report of twenty cases (author's transl)].

The association of chronic pancreatitis with diabetes is not very common. Men are the usual victims and ethylism the usual cause. The most common age of onset is between 40 and 50. Insulin treatment is much more frequent than for idiopathic diabetics. Diabetic heredity is probable. Calcifying pancreatitis is the most frequent form. Micro and macroangiopathic complications are found. A statistical comparative study with a matched series of idiopathic diabetics reveals no difference in the onset of vascular complications. The rate of triglycerides is statistically lower in pancreatitis (p less than 0.001). The other biological rates are the same (cholesterol, uricemy, alpha 2 macroglobulin). Diabetic stability is no more difficult to obtain than for idiopathic diabetics. In most cases the diet should be wide and alcohol must be prohibited.