Acute pancreatitis in a community with a low alcohol intake.

The etiological factors in 130 cases of acute pancreatitis occurring in a community with a low alcohol intake were reviewed. Alcohol was an insignificant factor in the etiology of acute pancreatitis. So-called idiopathic pancreatitis, occurring mainly in the older age group, was diagnosed in 19% of the cases. This is in contradistinction to findings in populations with excessive alcohol intake, where idiopathic pancreatitis is seen in all age groups. Similar age and sex distribution, as well as biochemical evidence of cholestasis, were seen in both the group suffering from gallbladder disease and in the idiopathic group. A more aggressive diagnostic work-up, including surgical exploration, is warranted, in view of the clinical overlap of biliary tract disease and idiopathic pancreatitis.