Predictive value of low serum pancreatic enzymes in invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms

Abstract Background Despite evidence suggesting a role of chronic pancreatitis in pancreatic carcinogenesis, its relationship with invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) remains unclear. Low levels of pancreatic enzymes are predictive markers of advanced chronic pancreatitis. We investigated whether low pancreatic enzyme levels were associated with a higher incidence of invasive IPMN. Methods This study included 146 consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection of IPMN between April 2001 and October 2014. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between serum pancreatic enzymes and the incidence of invasive IPMN, with adjustment for clinical characteristics including alcohol consumption. The association of serum pancreatic enzymes with pathological pancreatic atrophy and inflammation in areas adjacent to or distant from the tumor was also evaluated. Results Low serum levels of pancreatic amylase and lipase were associated with a higher incidence of invasive IPMN (multivariable odds ratio [OR] = 9.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.99 to 35.1, P  = 0.0001; OR = 14.2, 95% CI = 2.77 to 112, P  = 0.001, respectively). Low serum pancreatic amylase and lipase levels were also associated with higher grade pancreatic atrophy in areas adjacent to the tumor ( P  = 0.011 and P  = 0.017, respectively) and in areas distant from the tumor ( P  = 0.0002 and P  = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, low serum pancreatic amylase and lipase levels were associated with higher grade inflammation in areas distant from the tumor ( P P  = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Low serum pancreatic enzymes may be a predictive marker of invasive IPMN. Excessive alcohol consumption did not influence the association of low pancreatic enzyme levels with invasive IPMN.