Clinical trial · Observational
IPEX Study: Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency as a Functional Marker of Disease Progression in Patients With IPMN
IPEX Study: Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency as a Functional Marker of Disease Progression in Patients With IPMN Under Surveillance
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms (IPMN) are pancreatic cystic neoplasms managed through imaging-based surveillance focused on oncologic risk. However, IPMN pathophysiology includes ductal obstruction by mucin, chronic ductal hypertension, and progressive parenchymal atrophy, mechanisms that may lead to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI). PEI is a maldigestion syndrome typically associated with chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and pancreatic surgery, but it has never been systematically investigated in patients with IPMN under surveillance. The IPEX study is a multicenter prospective observational cohort study designed to evaluate whether PEI is prevalent in IPMN patients and whether it correlates with morphologic disease progression. The study also evaluates the potential role of PEI as a functional marker complementary to imaging criteria in IPMN surveillance.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms | Pancreatic Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
| Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (0)
Data not yet available
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (1)
- label
- IPMN
- description
- This study includes a single prospective observational cohort of adult patients (≥18 years) with a diagnosis of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)-including branch-duct, main-duct, or mixed-type. Participants are managed according to standard-of-care IPMN surveillance protocols (MRI/MRCP ± EUS), with no mandated interventional treatment. In parallel, patients undergo a structured pancreatology assessment to evaluate pancreatic exocrine function. The exposure of interest is pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI), defined using a composite clinical-biochemical criterion based on fecal elastase-1 (FE-1) levels and standardized clinical and nutritional parameters. No experimental intervention is administered; initiation of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), when clinically indicated, is recorded but not protocol-driven.
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- Association between clinically relevant PEI and IPMN progression during follow-up
- timeFrame
- Day 1 and after 6 and 12 months
- description
- Clinically relevant PEI defined as: * FE-1 \<100 µg/g OR * FE-1 100-200 µg/g plus ≥1 clinical criterion IPMN progression defined by WF/HRS development, surgical referral, or histologic progression
Secondary outcomes (5)
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years * Diagnosis of BD-IPMN, MD-IPMN, or mixed IPMN * Under active imaging surveillance * Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Prior pancreatic surgery * Chronic pancreatitis * Known pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at baseline * Other established causes of PEI unrelated to IPMN
References
Publications (3)
- RESULTOhtsuka T, Fernandez-Del Castillo C, Furukawa T, Hijioka S, Jang JY, Lennon AM, Miyasaka Y, Ohno E, Salvia R, Wolfgang CL, Wood LD. International evidence-based Kyoto guidelines for the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas. Pancreatology. 2024 Mar;24(2):255-270. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2023.12.009. Epub 2023 Dec 28. PMID 38182527
- RESULTTanaka M, Fernandez-del Castillo C, Adsay V, Chari S, Falconi M, Jang JY, Kimura W, Levy P, Pitman MB, Schmidt CM, Shimizu M, Wolfgang CL, Yamaguchi K, Yamao K; International Association of Pancreatology. International consensus guidelines 2012 for the management of IPMN and MCN of the pancreas. Pancreatology. 2012 May-Jun;12(3):183-97. doi: 10.1016/j.pan.2012.04.004. Epub 2012 Apr 16. PMID 22687371
- RESULTDominguez-Munoz JE, Vujasinovic M, de la Iglesia D, Cahen D, Capurso G, Gubergrits N, Hegyi P, Hungin P, Ockenga J, Paiella S, Perkhofer L, Rebours V, Rosendahl J, Salvia R, Scheers I, Szentesi A, Bonovas S, Piovani D, Lohr JM; European PEI Multidisciplinary Group. European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: UEG, EPC, EDS, ESPEN, ESPGHAN, ESDO, and ESPCG evidence-based recommendations. United European Gastroenterol J. 2025 Feb;13(1):125-172. doi: 10.1002/ueg2.12674. Epub 2024 Dec 5. PMID 39639485