Increased risk of severe acute pancreatitis in patients with diabetes.

AIMS: We prospectively assessed the age- and sex-specific incidence rates and relative risks of overall and severe acute pancreatitis in Taiwanese with diabetes.
METHODS: The study cohort included age- and-sex-matched groups of patients with (n = 547,554) and without (n = 584,373) diabetes. Incidence rate was estimated under Poisson assumption and relative risks of acute pancreatitis and severe acute pancreatitis, based on modified Atlanta criteria, were indicated by hazard ratios estimated from Cox proportional hazard regression models.
RESULTS: Over an 8-year follow-up period, the incidence of acute pancreatitis was 2.98 and 1.68 per 1000 person-years for patients with and without diabetes, respectively, representing a covariate adjusted hazard ratio of 1.53 (95% confidence interval 1.49-1.58). Diabetes was associated with a significantly elevated risk of acute pancreatitis in all sex and age stratifications, with the highest hazard ratio noted for study subjects aged < 45 years (men 2.37; women 2.95). Diabetes was also significantly associated with an increased hazard ratio of severe acute pancreatitis [1.46 (1.36-1.57)], and especially of acute pancreatitis with local complications [1.65 (1.14-2.39)].
CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of overall and severe acute pancreatitis, and the relation is stronger in women and young patients.