Novel therapeutics to treat chronic pancreatitis: targeting pancreatic stellate cells and macrophages.

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a persistent, recurrent, and progressive disorder that is characterized by chronic inflammation and irreversible fibrosis of the pancreas. It is associated with severe morbidity, resulting in intense abdominal pain, diabetes, exocrine and endocrine dysfunction, and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. The etiological factors are diverse and the major risk factors include smoking, chronic alcoholism, as well as other environmental and genetic factors.

Key Determinants for Achieving Enteral Autonomy and Reduced Parenteral Nutrition Exposure in Pediatric Intestinal Failure.

Background: We sought to evaluate the relationship between determinants of intestinal failure (IF) and achieving enteral autonomy from parenteral nutrition (PN) in a large single-center cohort of children.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of pediatric subjects enrolled in a database for the Center for Advanced Intestinal Rehabilitation at Children's of Alabama from 1989 to 2016. IF was defined as dependence on PN for >60 days.