Clinical characteristics and quality of life among Sri Lankan patients with chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and patient quality of life (QOL) in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study including patients with clinical and radiological features of CP. We collected clinical data and assessed QOL using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. RESULTS: We included 103 patients (median age 44 years, 84 men). Median age at symptom onset was 36 (4–78) years. Around 70% of patients had diabetes mellitus and 62.1% had consumed alcohol; 36 (35%) were current smokers. The mean overall global QOL score was 68.7. Most patients (91.3%) sought treatment from multiple centers. Nineteen (18.5%) had pancreatic stone disease, 38 (36.9%) had persistent abdominal pain (median severity 7.8/10, 59 (57.3%) had steatorrhea, and 56 (54.4%) had jaundice. Poor QOL was significantly associated with weight loss, loss of appetite, and intractable pain. No correlation with age, sex, or alcohol consumption was noted. CONCLUSION: A considerable proportion of patients with CP had troublesome symptoms. Intractable pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss were significantly associated with poor QOL. Further assessment is needed of patients’ psychosocial well-being and its association with QOL.