A review of the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis-associated sarcopenia

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) causes inflammation of the pancreas, resulting in structural damage and impaired exocrine and endocrine function. Chronic pain, nutritional deficiencies from nutrient maldigestion, and hyperglycemia cause a large number of consultations and hospital admissions, and a significant burden on the health care system. Intractable pain, alcoholism, and malabsorption place these patients at considerable risk of developing sarcopenia, with a prevalence of 17-62 %. While diagnostic methods have been developed to assess muscle mass in these patients, they still lack standardization and no specific drug regimen is available for the clinical management of sarcopenia. Nutritional assessment must be a key component of the initial approach to patients with CP. Our objective is to review the current knowledge on muscle mass status and the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of sarcopenia in patients with CP.