Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: what do we need to know.

Abstract

The pancreas plays a critical role in the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients as a dual function organ that possesses both exocrine and endocrine components. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (EPI) is an important cause of maldigestion and malabsorption. EPI is a disorder caused by the failure of the pancreas to deliver a minimum/threshold level of specific pancreatic digestive enzymes to the intestine, leading to the maldigestion of nutrients and macronutrients, resulting in their variable deficiencies. The aim of the study. Doctors are well aware of EPI in cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis. At the same time, there are a number of diseases that lead to the development of secondary pancreatic exocrine dysfunction insufficiency, which often remains unrecognized. Once EPI is diagnosed, treatment with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) is required. If EPI is left untreated, it will result in complications related to fat malabsorption and malnutrition, having a negative impact on quality of life (AGA, 2023). The study aimed to investigate the incidence of pancreatic insufficiency in other diseases of internal organs in order to increase physicians' awareness of this problem.