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Non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD)
Resource
Journal of Internal Medicine of Taiwan
Journal Volume
27
Journal Issue
3
Issue Date
2016-06-01
Author(s)
Abstract
Unlike fat stored in subcutaneous adipocytes, visceral fat and ectopic fat stored in tissues such as liver, heart, muscle, and pancreas are both associated with obesity and/or insulin resistance. Fatty liver is reported to be associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and obesity and is therefore considered a phenotype of metabolic syndrome. Fatty pancreas or nonalcoholic fatty pancreatic disease (NAFPD) is an excessive fat infiltration of the pancreas due to obesity in the absence of significant alcohol intake. NAFPD is highly associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome, and may represent a meaningful manifestation of metabolic syndrome. It might also be associated with diabetes, fatty liver, and pancreatic exocrine dysfunction. The association between fatty pancreas and pancreatitis, pancreatic adenocarcinoma was controversial. NAFPD has recently gained much attention. However, the pathogenesis linking fatty pancreas and chronic metabolic diseases, exocrine dysfunction, and its clinical implications and consequences remained unclear. Further basic science and clinical researches of fatty pancreas should be carried out.