Effect of Frey's procedure on islet cell function in patients with chronic calcific pancreatitis

Background: Frey’s procedure involves both drainage and resection of the pancreas in subjects with chronic calcific pancreatitis(CCP). The procedure may affect the pancreatic endocrine function after surgery. The present study was to evaluate the effect of Frey’s procedure on both beta and alpha cell function in CCP patients.Methods: Thirty CCP patients who underwent Frey’s procedure were included. According to the glycemic status, patients were divided into the diabetes mellitus(DM), prediabetes, and normal glucose tolerance(NGT) groups. Islet cell function was assessed before and 3 months after surgery.Results: At baseline, there was a significant difference in beta cell function among the three groups [NGT group 1.71(1.64–2.07) vs prediabetes group1.50(0.83–1.61) vs DM group 0.33(0.12–0.55), P < 0.0001], but the insulin resistance was not different among them. Post glucose hyperglucagonemia representing alphacell dysfunction during oral glucose tolerance test was present in all of them, but showed no significant difference [NGT group 0.15(0.06–0.31) vs prediabetes group 0.32(0.05–0.70) vs DM group 0.07(0.02–0.18), P = 0.20]. Frey’s procedure did not change beta cell function and insulin resistance. However, alphacell dysfunction deteriorated after surgery [0.10(0.03–0.27) vs 0.33(0.09–0.68), P = 0.004].Conclusions: Although Frey’s procedure does not affect the beta cell function and insulin resistance in CCP patients, the alpha-cell dysfunction deteriorates after surgery.