Clinical features and epidemiologyof chronic pancreatitis in china        LI Zhao-shen. Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, the Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, Shanghai200433, China
Abstract    A paucity of reports on the etiology, clinical characteristics, natural course, and management of chronic pancreatitis (CP) are available from centers in western countries.With totally different ethnic and cultural background, as well as socioeconomic status, CP in China has shown special epidemiology characters, including pathogenesis, etiology and clinical characteristics. Recently, China has conducted a joint survey study based on multicenter, and established a database, which has made great progress. However, the incidence of CP is rising rapidly in China. Alcohol and biliary stones are becoming the main causes and disabling pain is usually the main symptom. Endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography are effective diagnostic methods with high sensitivity and specificity. Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy with endoscopic clearance of stone fragments is equally effective. In comparison with western countries on the clinical features and epidemiology of CP, diagnosis and treatment suitable to the situation in China can be established.