Diabetes mellitus (DM) as part of chronic pancreatitis (ChP) belongs into the group of secondary DM with typical insulin deficiency. The prevalence and incidence of DM in ChP depends on the selected diagnostic criteria, geographical conditions and duration and grade of pancreatitis. Based on our findings during a 15-year investigation of impaired glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in patients with ChP the authors submit some partial (published and unpublished) results. The largest investigated group were 122 patients with ChP diagnosed according to the morphological appearance during ERCP. The authors detected a mutual close relationship between the extent of morphological damage of the efferent system of the pancreas on one hand and impaired glucose metabolism and endogenous insulin secretion on the other hand. It was revealed that values of C-peptide are in patients with ChP and normal glucose tolerance significantly lower as compared with the healthy population, and in patients with ChP and DM they are significantly lower as compared with non-obese type 2 diabetics. With the persistence of ChP the C-peptide levels decline gradually and the incidence of diabetes increases but even when DM persists in ChP C-peptide does not reach zero values as in type 1 DM. For detection of diabetes in ChP assessment of the fasting blood sugar level does not suffice and an oral glucose tolerance test must be made.

Keywords: Adult; C-Peptide /blood/; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; Diabetes Mellitus /etiology/; Female; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Insulin /metabolism/; Insulin Secretion; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatitis, Chronic /complications/