Association of Pancreatic Fatty Infiltration With Age and Metabolic Syndrome Is Sex-Dependent.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas has been shown to be associated with both precancerous pancreatic lesions and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We aim to determine predictors of fatty infiltration of the pancreas in United States adults.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study conducted at a large academic hospital in Chicago, Illinois, we calculated the relative fatty infiltration of the pancreas (corrected to spleen) of 265 cancer-free individuals based on their cross-sectional imaging. Demographic data and relevant laboratory results were obtained from medical records.

RESULTS

We found that age was the strongest predictor of fatty infiltration of the pancreas in our series ( < .01). Fatty infiltration of the pancreas was also significantly associated with body mass index ( < .01) and hyperlipidemia ( < .05). In women, in addition to age ( < .05), elevated body mass index ( = .023), hyperlipidemia ( = .013), and fatty liver ( = .017) were predictors of fat in pancreas. We found a sex-dependent association between pancreatic fat and metabolic syndrome including fatty liver ( = .002).

CONCLUSION

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas increases by age and components of metabolic syndrome. These assertions could be sex-dependent.