Fatty infiltration of the pancreas: a systematic concept analysis

Mueataz A Mahyoub; Mohamed Elhoumed; Abdulfatah Hassan Maqul; Maged Almezgagi; Mustafa Abbas; Yang Jiao; Jinhai Wang; Mohammed Alnaggar; Ping Zhao; Shuixiang He

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1227188

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas: a systematic concept analysis

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Sep 22:10:1227188. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1227188. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Mueataz A Mahyoub^{1

2

3

4}, Mohamed Elhoumed^{5

6}, Abdulfatah Hassan Maqul^{7

8}, Maged Almezgagi^{9

10

11}, Mustafa Abbas¹², Yang Jiao¹³, Jinhai Wang³, Mohammed Alnaggar^{14

15}, Ping Zhao³, Shuixiang He^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
² Clinical Medical Research Center for Digestive Diseases (Oncology) of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, China.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Thamar University, Dhamar, Yemen.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
⁶ National Institute of Public Health Research (INRSP), Nouakchott, Mauritania.
⁷ Department of Medical Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
⁸ Department of Medical Imaging, Sahan Diagnostic Center, Mogadishu, Somalia.
⁹ The Key Laboratory of High-altitude Medical Application of Qinghai Province, Xining, Qinghai, China.
¹⁰ Department of Immunology, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai, China.
¹¹ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen.
¹² Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thamar University, Dhamar, Yemen.
¹³ Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
¹⁴ Department of Oncology, South Hubei Cancer Hospital, Xianning, Hubei, China.
¹⁵ Department of Internal Medicine, Clinic Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, Hubei, China.

Abstract

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas (FIP) has been recognized for nearly a century, yet many aspects of this condition remain unclear. Regular literature reviews on the diagnosis, consequences, and management of FIP are crucial. This review article highlights the various disorders for which FIP has been established as a risk factor, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), pancreatitis, pancreatic fistula (PF), metabolic syndrome (MS), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC), as well as the new investigation tools. Given the interdisciplinary nature of FIP research, a broad range of healthcare specialists are involved. This review article covers key aspects of FIP, including nomenclature and definition of pancreatic fat infiltration, history and epidemiology, etiology and pathophysiology, clinical presentation and diagnosis, clinical consequences, and treatment. This review is presented in a detailed narrative format for accessibility to clinicians and medical students.

Keywords: fatty infiltration of the pancreas; metabolic syndrome; obesity; pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma; type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Publication types

Review