The pancreas and inflammatory bowel diseases

This article reviews the literature and gives an overview on prevalence and possible explanations for pancreatic involvement in inflammatory bowel dis eases (IBD). IBD patients have a markedly elevated risk for developing acut e pancreatitis as well as pancreatic insuffiency. Multiple potential causes for pancreatitis in IBD patients exist. In the majority of cases acute pan creatitis appears to be related to drug side effects or local structural co mplications rather than a true extraintestinal manifestation of IBD. Nevert heless, some cases of acute pancreatitis remain unexplained. Prevalence of chronic pancreatitis in IBD patients also seems to be relatively high. Howe ver, etiology of pancreatic duct changes and/or the occurrence of exocrine insufficiency remain unclear. In most cases chronic pancreatitis is clinica lly unapparent, although in some patients it may be accompanied by clinical ly relevant exocrine insufficiency.