Alcohol link to surge in pancreatitis

A GROWING number of Irish men and women in their 20s and early 30s are reporting to hospitals with pancreatitis — a disease directly linked to excessive alcohol consumption that can lead to diabetes and cancer.

In Britain, there has been a 43% increase in pancreatitis due to growing alcohol consumption over the past decade.

Similar figures aren’t available here but similar hikes are reportedly noticeable.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas most commonly caused by gallstones, and then alcohol.

However, in Ireland this trend has reversed in recent years and most cases are caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. Other causes include recreational drugs.

There are more than 190 pancreatitis cases yearly at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital in Dublin, with an estimated 140 directly linked to alcohol abuse.

Speaking at the opening of the Oncology Day Unit and Centre for Pancreaticobiliary Diseases at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Professor of Surgery at Trinity College Dublin Mr Kevin Conlon said young men and women are presenting with the illness.

“Most present with abdominal pain, which turns out to be mild pancreatitis, which can be treated by intravenous fluids and pain relief. However, a substantial number are continuing to drink excessively after diagnosis and this can lead to moderate or severe forms of the illness. Chronic pancreatitis can lead to problems in digesting food and diabetes and up to 20% of sufferers can die from the illness. Up to 24 patients are admitted regularly each year with serious symptoms. They are coming here from the 26 counties, the North, Wales and Scotland,” he said.

“Alcohol is one of this country’s main ways of celebrating success and lamenting failure and we’re beginning to see the effects of such an alcoholic culture. We’re now trying to develop psychiatric services at the hospital and in the community so people can overcome this need and desire to drink.

“The growing pancreatitis levels are worrying as it is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. We are just a generation or two away from seeing such cancer numbers increase substantially.”

At present, 600 cases of pancreatic cancer occur each year and Professor Conlon described it as “frightening and deadly disease”.

The new unit is the first in Ireland to devote specific resources to nutrition, social work and psychiatric substance abuse in relation to alcohol induced pancreatitis.