Pancreatic inflammation in CF patient

Question

My son of 4 has problems with his pancreas.
It's about chronic pancreatic inflammation. What can I expect and is it recognizable?

Answer

Dear questioner,

Chronic pancreatic inflammation in children is not frequent. The cause is not always easy to find, but and can be very different. The causes of chronic pancreatitis can be divided into 5 major categories:
- Genetic predisposition: Mutations in certain genes can be a cause of chronic pancreatitis. One of these genes is the CFTR gene (CF-causing gen). Usually, these are "mild" mutations, and patients have no other signs of cystic fibrosis such as lung problems. Other genes that can cause chronic pancreatitis are f.i. SPINK1 and PRSS1.
- Construction disorder: Congenital abnormalities of the structure of the pancreas can cause inflammation.
- Toxic: prolonged use of medication or supplements may cause inflammation of the pancreas
- Autoimmune disorders: The body itself makes antibodies against the pancreas and causes an inflammation of the pancreas. This kind occurs mainly in older children and adults.
- Idiopathic: this means that no clear cause was found

In the first place it appears to be important to find out the exact cause of the pancreas inflammation of your son. Please contact your doctor. A genetic research seems to be important.
The treatment of chronic pancreatitis consists mainly of adequate pain medication at moments of a boost. In the case of CFTR-related pancreatitis, it may be necessary to initiate a treatment with pancreatic enzymes (Creon).

Hopefully we have responded sufficiently to your question.
Best regards,
Prof. K. de Boeck

14.08.2017