Pancreatic steatosis is a risk factor for pancreatic cysts among patients with diabetes

Objectives To investigate whether pancreatic steatosis is associated with the presence of pancreatic cysts among individuals with diabetes.Material and Methods 158 individuals [mean age 66 ± 10 years, 81 (51%) female] with diabetes [135 (85%) had type 2 diabetes] participated in the study involving Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), blood tests and anthropometric measurements. Pancreatic steatosis was estimated qualitatively by a radiologist as well as using the pancreatic fat fraction.Results Of 158 study participants, 78 (49%) had pancreatic cysts. The individuals with pancreatic cysts were older than those without cysts (69 ± 7 years vs. 63 ± 12 years, p = 0.002). Compared to the individuals without pancreatic cysts, those with pancreatic cysts had more often pancreatic steatosis (46 (59%) vs. 31 (39%), p = 0.011) and a higher pancreatic fat fraction (13% ± 10% vs. 9% ± 8%, p = 0.021). Likewise, the Odds Ratio (OR) for the presence of pancreatic cysts was 1.043 [95% confidence interval 1.007–1.082, p = 0.020] for pancreatic fat fraction and 2.272 [1.202–4.297, p = 0.012] pancreatic steatosis. The statistically significant association remained even after correction for multiple possible confounding factors (OR 1.045 [1.003–1.089, p = 0.035], and OR 2.588 [1.182–5.667, p = 0.017], respectively).Conclusions Pancreatic steatosis and older age are independently associated with the presence of pancreatic cysts in patients with diabetes. Despite some potential mechanistic links, prospective studies are needed to examine the possible causality.