Lee JS, Kim SH, Jun DW, Han JH, Jang EC, Park JY, Son BK, Kim SH, Jo YJ, Park YS, Kim YS. Clinical implications of fatty pancreas: Correlations between fatty pancreas and metabolic syndrome. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(15): 1869-1875 [PMID: 19370785 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.15.1869]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Dr. Dae Won Jun, Department of Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, 280-1 Hagye 1-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-711, South Korea. noshin1004@yahoo.co.kr
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2009; 15(15): 1869-1875 Published online Apr 21, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1869
Clinical implications of fatty pancreas: Correlations between fatty pancreas and metabolic syndrome
Jun Seok Lee, Sang Heum Kim, Dae Won Jun, Jee Hye Han, Eun Chul Jang, Ji Young Park, Byung Kwan Son, Seong Hwan Kim, Yoon Ju Jo, Young Sook Park, Yong Soo Kim
Jun Seok Lee, Dae Won Jun, Ji Young Park, Byung Kwan Son, Seong Hwan Kim, Yoon Ju Jo, Young Sook Park, Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul 139-711, South Korea
Sang Heum Kim, Department of Radiology, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul 139-711, South Korea
Jee Hye Han, Department of Family Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul 139-711, South Korea
Eun Chul Jang, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Chunan 145-511, South Korea
Yong Soo Kim, Department of Radiology, Hanyang University School of Medicine, Guri 231-574, South Korea
Author contributions: Lee JS and Kim SH performed the majority of study and wrote the manuscript; Han JH and Jang EC performed the statistical analysis; Kim YS, Park YS, and Park JY reviewed the radiological data; Son BK, Kim SH, and Jo YJ made the data set and edited the manuscript; and Jun DW supervised the study and edited the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Dae Won Jun, Department of Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University School of Medicine, 280-1 Hagye 1-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-711, South Korea. noshin1004@yahoo.co.kr
Telephone: +82-2-9708494
Fax: +82-2-9720068
Received: January 16, 2009 Revised: March 14, 2009 Accepted: March 21, 2009 Published online: April 21, 2009
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the clinical implications of lipid deposition in the pancreas (fatty pancreas).
METHODS: The subjects of this study were 293 patients who had undergone abdominal computed tomography (CT) and sonography. Fatty pancreas was diagnosed by sonographic findings and subdivided into mild, moderate, and severe fatty pancreas groups comparing to the retroperitoneal fat echogenicity.
RESULTS: Fatty pancreas was associated with higher levels for visceral fat, waist circumference, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, free fatty acid, γ-GTP, insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than the control group (P < 0.05). HOMA-IR, visceral fat, triglyceride, and ALT also tended to increase with the degree of fat deposition in the pancreas on sonography. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, HOMA-IR, visceral fat, and ALT level were independently related to fatty pancreas after adjustment for age, body mass index, and lipid profile. The incidence of metabolic syndrome in the fatty pancreas group was significantly higher than in the control group, and the numbers of metabolic syndrome parameters were significantly higher in the fatty pancreas group (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Sonographic fatty pancrease showed higher insulin resistance, visceral fat area, triglyceride, and ALT levels than normal pancreases. Fatty pancreas also showed a strong correlation with metabolic syndrome.
