Nutritional support improves antibody response to influenza virus vaccine in the elderly.

in some cases at operation, were included in this study.The mean age and sex distribution of the whole series and of the subgroups were as follows: whole group, 47 3 years, men 50-8%; cholelithiasis, 53 5 years, men 38-6%; acute pancreatitis, 45-5 years, men 52-5%; and chronic pancreatitis, 55-8 years, men 61 50%0.The results show that the incidence of symptomatic gall stone disease was similar in all racial groups (table); but acute pancreatitis was at least four times commoner, and chronic pancreatitis three times commoner, in Asians than in the other groups.Even when those patients in whom known causal factors such as gall stones and alcohol were excluded the differences were still present.Asian patients with acute pan- creatitis were on average eight vears younger than their European counterparts and had more severe disease.The Ealing health district serves most of Ealing and parts of Southall, so our catchment population was not the same as that covered in the diabetic survey.We also recognise that the incidence of a disorder in hospital does not necessarily reflect its prevalence in the community.Nevertheless, even in this small and selected group of patients, there appear to be racial differences in the manifestations of acute and chronic pancreatitis.Our observations and the results of the survey by Dr Mather and Professor Keen may be helpful in determining the reasons for the susceptibility of Asians to diabetes.