[Rate of alcohol abstinence in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

The influence of clinical manifestations of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis on the continuation of alcohol intake is still poorly known. The aim was to study the number of patients who stop drinking alcohol and the factors favouring abstinence in 87 patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis and to compare them to 59 patients with alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic abstinence was assessed by patient and relative questionnaire and by blood GGT dosage.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients who became abstinent was higher in patients followed at least one year with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (64%) than in patients with alcoholic liver disease (32%, P < 0.005). Patients mainly withdraw from alcohol in the first year after clinical onset of pancreatitis. The rate of abstinent patients was higher in patients who had presented an acute bout of alcoholic pancreatitis, in patients operated on and in patients with good social status.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with alcoholic chronic pancreatitis frequently withdraw from alcohol, mainly soon after clinical onset of the pancreatitis. This seems to be due to clinical manifestations of the pancreatitis.