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SMOKING vs ALCOHOL in chronic pancreatitis.

The major cause of chronic pancreatitis was thought to be alcohol abuse.  However, the SHOCKING new finding is that alcohol alone just slightly increases risk of chronic pancreatitis.  Furthermore, it appears that a person needs to drink 5-6 drinks per day before there is any increased risk.  On the other hand, smoking has an independent risk for chronic pancreatitis – and it may be more than for alcohol.  However, the combination of alcohol and smoking may be greater than the expected overall risk of adding the alcohol and smoking risk (ie the risk is mulitplicitive).

Yadav D, Whitcomb DC. The role of alcohol and smoking in pancreatitis. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Mar;7(3):131-45.