Pancreatic Enzyme Therapy: What Parents Need to Know

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is a painful condition. It can happen suddenly (acute pancreatitis) or repeatedly (acute recurrent pancreatitis) or cause chronic inflammation (chronic pancreatitis). Children with acute recurrent pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis can have acute episodes. These episodes are painful, require staying in a hospital and cause the disease to get worse.

There are currently no approved treatments to prevent acute episodes. However, a study has shown that pancreatic enzyme therapy is associated with fewer episodes of acute pancreatitis per year. Could this be a new treatment option?

The experts, including lead study author A. Jay Freeman, MD, medical director of Pancreatic Care for the Pancreas and Liver Care Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, say “maybe.”

The study looked at data from the INSPIRE (INternational Study Group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In Search for a CuRE) study, which includes information from 22 international specialized care centers for pediatric pancreatitis.

The team noticed that even though there wasn’t evidence to show that pancreatic enzyme therapy reduces acute episodes, 17% of the children with chronic or acute recurrent or chronic pancreatitis in the study were receiving the treatment, even though their bodies were producing enough enzymes according to their charts. These children had fewer acute episodes each year, and 40% of them did not have any additional acute episodes for two years after.

This data shows that pancreatic enzyme therapy is associated with fewer acute episodes, but the researchers emphasize the need for a clinical trial to show the true impact. Dr. Freeman and his team are working to make that trial a reality.  

In the meantime, Dr. Freeman says parents should talk with their care teams to discuss the potential risks and benefits of pancreatic enzyme therapy for their children with acute recurrent or chronic pancreatitis.