Nutritional markers in patients with diabetes and pancreatic exocrine failure

Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in subjects with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and diabetes mellitus: a real-life, case-control study

BACKGROUND

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) can be associated with all types of diabetes. Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) has short and long-term benefits in subjects with EPI, but its effects on diabetes control are uncertain. We aimed to study the effects of PERT initiation on glycemic control in subjects with diabetes and EPI from any cause.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we compared subjects with EPI and diabetes who were prescribed PERT with subjects with diabetes who had a fecal elastase-1 concentration dosage, but did not receive PERT. The primary outcome was the effect of PERT on hypoglycemia frequency and severity. The secondary outcomes were the effects of PERT on gastro-intestinal disorders, HbA1c and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS

48 subjects were included in each group. Overall, PERT did not have any significant effect on hypoglycemia frequency or severity, but hypoglycemia frequency tended to decrease in subjects with chronic pancreatitis. While 19% of subjects experienced mild hyperglycemia after PERT initiation, we did not report any keto-acidosis or any other severe adverse event. Gastro-intestinal disorders improved in 80% of subjects treated with PERT, versus in 20% of control subjects (p = 0.02). Gastro-intestinal disorders improved in 87% of subjects with recommended dosage of PERT, versus in 50% of subjects with underdosage (NS). HbA1c and BMI evolution did not differ between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PERT initiation is safe in subjects with diabetes and EPI. It does not globally decrease hypoglycemia severity of frequency, but is associated with a decrease in gastro-intestinal disorders. Trial registration Retrospectively registered. The database was registered with the Commission Nationale Informatique et Libertés (CNIL), registration number: 2203351v0. The study was approved by the local ethics committee CLEP, registration number: AAA-2023-09047.

Nutritional status of patients undergoing pancreatic resection

Changes in the exocrine function of the pancreas often develops after proximal and distal resections. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is characterized by a reduced secretion of pancreatic enzymes, because of which the digestion and absorption of nutrients is impaired. Clinical manifestations of EPI and, as a consequence, changes in nutritional status significantly affect the quality of life of patients.

Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Diabetes is Clinically Distinguishable From Conventional Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Type 3c diabetes mellitus (T3cDM) is diabetes secondary to other pancreatic diseases such as chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic resection, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Clinically, it may easily be confused with conventional type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A delay in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment leads to a worse outcome. Therefore, early recognition of PDA-associated T3cDM and distinction from conventional T2DM represents an opportunity improve survival in patients with PDA.

METHODS

Six hundred and sixty four patients with PDA underwent pancreatic resection. Patients were classified as per whether or not they had diabetes. The specific type of diabetes was determined. T3cDM surgical patients (n = 127) were compared with a control group of medical patients with T2DM who did not have PDA (n = 127).

RESULTS

Patients with T3cDM were older (66 versus 61 y, P < 0.001), had lower body mass indices (25.9 versus 32.1, P < 0.001), more favorable hemoglobin A1c levels (7.0 versus 8.8, P < 0.001), higher alanine aminotransferase levels (39 versus 20, P < 0.001), and lower creatinine levels (0.8 versus 0.9 mg/dL, P < 0.001). In addition, they were more likely to be insulin dependent. In a subgroup analysis of surgical patients, T3cDM (versus surgical patients with T2DM and no diabetes) was not associated with surrogate markers of main pancreatic duct obstruction and glandular atrophy.

CONCLUSIONS

PDA-associated T3cDM has a distinctive presenting phenotype compared with medical patients with conventional T2DM. Greater attention to associated signs, symptoms, and biochemical data could identify patients at risk for harboring an underlying pancreatic malignancy and trigger diagnostic pathways leading to earlier PDA diagnosis and treatment.

Pathological Mechanisms in Diabetes of the Exocrine Pancreas: What's Known and What's to Know

The clinical significance of diabetes arising in the setting of pancreatic disease (also known as diabetes of the exocrine pancreas, DEP) has drawn more attention in recent years. However, significant improvements still need to be made in the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder, and in the knowledge of the pathological mechanisms. The clinical course of DEP is different from type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DEP develops in patients with previous existing exocrine pancreatic disorders which damage both exocrine and endocrine parts of pancreas, and lead to pancreas exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and malnutrition. Therefore, damage in various exocrine and endocrine cell types participating in glucose metabolism regulation likely contribute to the development of DEP. Due to the limited amount of clinical and experimental studies, the pathological mechanism of DEP is poorly defined. In fact, it still not entirely clear whether DEP represents a distinct pathologic entity or is a form of T2DM arising when β cell failure is accelerated by pancreatic disease. In this review, we include findings from related studies in T1DM and T2DM to highlight potential pathological mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of DEP, and to provide directions for future research studies.

Structure and function of the exocrine pancreas in patients with type 1 diabetes

In the last 10 years, several studies have shown that the pancreas of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and even of subjects at risk for T1D, was smaller than the pancreas from healthy subjects. This arose the question of the relationships between the endocrine and exocrine parts of the pancreas in T1D pathogenesis. Our review underlines that histological anomalies of the exocrine pancreas are common in patients with T1D: intralobular and interacinar fibrosis, acinar atrophy, fatty infiltration, leucocytic infiltration, and pancreatic arteriosclerosis are all frequent observations. Moreover, 25% to 75% of adult patients with T1D present with pancreatic exocrine dysfunction. Our review summarizes the putative causal factors for these structural and functional anomalies, including: 1/ alterations of insulin, glucagon, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide secretion, 2/ global pancreatic inflammation 3/ autoimmunity targeting the exocrine pancreas, 4/ vascular and neural abnormalities, and 5/ the putative involvement of pancreatic stellate cells. These observations have also given rise to new theories on T1D: the primary event of T1D pathogenesis could be non-specific, e.g bacterial or viral or chemical, resulting in global pancreatic inflammation, which in turn could cause beta-cell predominant destruction by the immune system. Finally, this review emphasizes that it is advisable to evaluate pancreatic exocrine function in patients with T1D presenting with gastro-intestinal complaints, as a clinical trial has shown that pancreatic enzymes replacement therapy can reduce the frequency of hypoglycemia and thus might improve quality of life in subjects with T1D and exocrine failure.