A MULTIDIMENSIONAL CASE-CONTROL STUDY OF DIETARY, ALCOHOL, AND TOBACCO HABITS IN ALCOHOLIC MEN WITH CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS

This study compared diet, type of alcoholism, and smoking in three groups of alcoholic men, with chronic pancreatitis (n = 56), with histological cirrhosis (n = 50), and without pancreatitis or cirrhosis (controls; n = 50) by a multidimensional analysis. Only patients in whom the first symptom of pancreatitis or cirrhosis was present for <1 year before the interview were included. Patients with pancreatitis consumed more nonalcohol calories than cirrhotics (p < 0.05). The percentage of calories taken as proteins (p < 0.0003) and lipids (p < 0.0001) was higher and the percentage of calories taken as alcohol (p < 0.0003) was lower in patients with pancreatitis than in cirrhotics and control patients. There was no difference among the three groups for total calories/basal energy expenditure ratio, total nonalcohol calories/basal energy expenditure ratio, mineral and vitamin intake, or tobacco consumption. The duration of excessive alcohol consumption and the total alcohol consumption in patients with pancreatitis was similar to that of controls but lower than that of cirrhotics (p < 0.002 and p < 0.05, respectively). Three parameters were found to be independently different in the three groups by discriminant analysis: percentage of calories taken as lipids (p < 0.0001), duration of excessive alcohol consumption (p < 0.002), and percentage of calories taken as proteins (p < 0.08). These three parameters explained 24% of the variance. We conclude that the reasons alcoholic men develop chronic pancreatitis may be explained partly by dietary habits. The main predisposing or associated factor is a high caloric proportion of fat and protein intake. Type and quantity of alcohol, tobacco, and vitamins do not seem to play an important role.