Nonalcoholic Fatty Pancreas Disease: Clinical Consequences

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome and its components such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM-T2), and arterial hypertension are unequivocally serious problems for every society. This is especially true in economically developed countries where the imbalance in lifestyle between caloric intake and caloric output still gets greater and greater. This fact is not only a concern for the adult population but for children as well. However, metabolic syndrome does not only affect society and health in regards to cardiovascular diseases, it significantly concerns gastroenterology where it is classified as nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD). The data gained from several trials show that the prevalence of NAFDP is 33% (95% CI 24–41%). When it comes to the diagnostic procedures concerning the presence of pancreatic fat, a whole spectrum of suitable methods are recommended. Probably, the most exact method is the use of magnetic resonance imaging. However, for common clinical practice, the abdominal sonographic examination based on the comparison of the pancreatic parenchymatous echogenity versus renal or hepatic echogenity is used. The clinical consequences of pancreatic steatosis and steatopancreatitis are significant. These diseases are connected with DM-T2 and insulin resistance. In recent years, changes of exocrine pancreatic function, particularly its decrease, have also been described. It is known that there is a close correlation between NAFPD and nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis and also with the increased thickness of aortic intima-media. There is also an important relationship between NAFPD and pancreatic carcinoma. Pancreatic steatosis, and especially its NAFPD form, is a serious state which can be treatable by the possible effective management of metabolic syndrome parameters, including obesity.