PEI may be present in patients with:¹

• acute pancreatitis
• chronic pancreatitis
• cystic fibrosis
• post gastric and/or pancreatic surgery
• pancreatic cancer
• other conditions such as diabetes mellitus, coeliac disease, Crohn's disease

In fact, any pathology that affects the digestion of food by pancreatic enzymes – including extrapancreatic conditions – may cause PEI.

Irrespective of your patient’s primary condition, the consequences of undiagnosed or untreated PEI are both acute and long-term. Untreated PEI can lead to malnutrition and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies,²  which are related to high morbidity and mortality secondary to an increased risk of malnutrition-related complications, including:

• reduced quality of life³
• reduced bone mineral density⁴
• cardiovascular events^2,5

All patients with PEI should receive PERT, regardless of the presence or degree of steatorrhoea and associated symptoms.^2,4–7 PERT facilitates the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates by replacing missing digestive enzymes in patients with PEI.²

The treatment goals of PERT for PEI are to:⁵

• Treat symptoms of PEI and improve nutritional status, including:
• increase fat absorption and reduce steatorrhoea*
• reduce stool frequency
• improve stool consistency
• Mimic the normal physiological conditions of a healthy pancreas, when the correct dosage and timing of administration is used.¹

*Steatorrhoea is a late-stage symptom and occurs when over 90% of normal pancreas function is lost. Hence, diagnosis should be made before the presence of steatorrhoea.