Extended Review and Updates of Nonalcoholic Fatty Pancreas Disease

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty pancreatic disease (NAFPD), also known as pancreatic steatosis, is a benign condition characterized by deposition of lipids in the pancreas and is associated with insulin resistance, malnutrition, obesity, metabolic syndrome, aging, and absence of heavy alcohol intake or infection. Similar to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFPD is a phenotypic entity that includes fat buildup in the pancreas, pancreatic inflammation, and subsequent fibrosis. The extent to which pancreatic fat infiltration is clinically important remains unclear. Despite these clinical associations, most of the clinical effects of NAFPD are not known. NAFPD may be identified by transabdominal and elastography ultrasound, computed tomography scan, or magnetic resonance imaging modalities, but a confirmatory diagnosis can only be made through tissue histology. In addition to complications such as acute and chronic pancreatitis, NAFPD may progress to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, further research is required to fully understand the associations, pathophysiology, and effects of NAFPD. This review provides a narrative synthesis of the current literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, complications, diagnostic and imaging tools, and management of NAFPD.

Keywords: Diagnosis; metabolic syndrome; nonalcoholic fatty pancreatic disease; obesity; pancreatic steatosis; pathophysiology.