Physicians often refer to the human skin as a mirror, which reflects pathological processes( inflammatory, dystrophic, intoxication, allergic and many others) that occur in various body systems. Changes that appear on the skin in the form of rashes, may be the first signs of the beginning of the disease of the digestive organs, which includes the pancreas. Therefore, do not be surprised to contact a dermatologist with a complaint about a rash, that the doctor sent you for a consultation with a gastroenterologist who revealed pancreatitis.
The pancreas is a significant secretory organ in the human body, occupying the second place after the liver in the digestive system. Enzymes produced by the gland, participate in the digestive process, splitting food into carbohydrates, fats, proteins in the intestine. And the hormones produced by the body maintain within normal limits the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream. Pancreatitis, manifested in the inflammation and swelling of the body, disrupts the basic functions of the pancreas, causing imbalance in the entire body, which immediately affects the skin condition, which is covered with a rash.
Eruptions on the skin with pancreatitis
In the chronic inflammatory process of the pancreas, when the disease is sluggish and prolonged, there is an exocrine insufficiency: the secretion of pancreatic juice supplied to the duodenum decreases, which neutralizes the acidic gastric environment and participates in the digestion process. The activity of enzymes in the gut lumen decreases, the bactericidal properties of the intestinal flora decrease, which is transported from the large intestine to the thin one. Against this background, the excessive growth of bacteria often results, leading to high permeability of the barrier of the intestine, which instantly increases the risk of developing both microbial and food allergies, manifested as a rash of atopic dermatitis or eczema. Therefore, a rash on the skin can be a sign of chronic pancreatitis.
Symptom of "red droplets"
With chronic inflammation of the pancreas, sometimes there are rashes, called the symptom of Tuzhilin. On the skin of the back, abdomen, chest appears a rash in the form of round spots of the correct form of red color. Rash, representing a vascular aneurysm( different from asterisks in cirrhosis), does not disappear with pressure.
In case of an exacerbation of the disease, the amount of rashes may increase, if the inflammation in the pancreas decays, the rash may disappear. The rash of "red droplets" is characteristic not only for chronic pancreatitis, but also for vascular diseases.