PREVALENCE OF PANCREATITIS IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE SYNDROME CASES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN INDIA

Background :pancreatitis is a painful, potentially fatal condition. About 1/3rd of acute pancreatitis cases in united-states are alcohol induced and 60%-90% have a history of chronic consumption. Many cases of alcoholic pancreatitis do not receive psychiatric intervention for their basic etiology and continue with recurrences. There is further dearth of data in indian context. Aim :was to find out the prevalence and risk factors for pancreatitis in alcohol dependence syndrome(ads). Method: a prospective study of newly diagnosed patients of ads, admitted in tertiary care hospital from jan to dec 2016, was carried out. Socio-demographic data, quantity and duration of alcohol consumption, co-morbid nicotine dependence were tabulated. Pancreatitis was diagnosed on basis of icd-10, k-85 criteria. Results:total of 140 cases of ads were admitted during the period. 26 cases(18.58 %) were having pancreatitis. Among pancreatitis group, most had 6-10 years(73.1%) of drinking and were drinking about 80gm/day(50%). 76.9% among pancreatitis group had nicotine dependence. Serum bilirubin, mcv, ast, alt &ggt were raised in 23.1%,57.7%,46.2%,42.3% and 96.2% respectively. The difference between pancreatitis and non pancreatitis group were statistically significant (p=0.001) for co-morbid nicotine dependence syndrome and for mcv (p=0.26). Rest variables did not show significance. Important finding was that 18.58% of ads patients were having pancreatitis. Conclusion:timely intervention in these could prevent future recurrences and thus it is imperative that attention to the root cause of the condition, alcohol is paid rather than just responding to its effects.