Objective: Concomitant occurrence of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) and alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) is rare with few reported cases. The present study aimed to identify the potential risk factors of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and liver cirrhosis (LC) in ALC patients and ACP patients, respectively.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 536 patients with CP and 647 ALC patients without CP (Group A). Among the 536 CP patients, 213 ACP cases were divided into two groups: ACP with LC (Group B, n = 52) and ACP without LC (Group C, n = 161). A comparison between Group A and B was carried out to identify the potential risk factors of CP in ALC patients, while Group B and C were compared to determine the independent risk factors of LC in ACP patients.
Results: Concomitant occurrence of ACP and ALC accounted for 24.4% (52/213) in this cohort. Significant risk factors for CP in ALC patients included smoking [odds ratio (OR), 2.557; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.531-5.489; P = 0.003] and multiple bouts of acute pancreatitis (OR, 4.813; 95% CI: 3.625-12.971; P < 0.001). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OR, 4.237; 95% CI: 1.742-7.629; P = 0.012) was the only independent risk factor associated with LC in ACP patients.
Conclusion: HBV infection exacerbated liver damage in ACP patients. Alcoholic patients who smoked and suffered from ongoing bouts of acute pancreatitis are prone to develop CP.