Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms and the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus in Patients Undergoing Resection Versus Observation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN) and compare rates of new/progressive DM between IPMN patients undergoing pancreatectomy versus observation.

METHODS: Patients diagnosed with IPMN were identified from institutional databases, divided into two groups based on treatment type, pancreatectomy versus clinical observation, and subsequently evaluated. Standard demographic and clinicopathologic variables, fasting glucose, diabetic status, and pancreatic volume data, were obtained and compared between groups.

RESULTS: One hundred thirty-four IPMN patients were identified; 103 (77 %) underwent pancreatectomy and 31 (23 %) were observed. Baseline DM rate was 18 % (24/134). This was not different between groups [17 % (17/103) resected vs. 23 % (7/31) observed, p = 0.51]. Median follow-up was 53 months and new/progressive DM occurred in 37 (28 %) patients with no difference between groups [29 (28 %) resected vs. 8 (26 %) observed, p = 0.74]. Among resected patients, degree of dysplasia was associated with increase risk of new/progressive DM [moderate dysplasia OR 5.76 (1.24-26.79) and severe dysplasia OR 9.43 (1.54-57.74), p = 0.04], while procedure type and remnant volume were not.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and prevalence of DM among patients with IPMN was high and did not differ between resected and observed groups. Degree of dysplasia, not the amount of resected pancreas, was associated with increased risk of DM, suggesting that the presence or development of DM may be a marker of malignant progression. Confirmatory studies are required.