Steatorrhea

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Hello, I am having a exam in two days and I get hung up on the smallest details so if someone could please clarify this I would appreciate it!

Question: Is steatorrhea only associated with chronic pancreatitis and not acute?

Our textbook lists it as a symptom under chronic pancreatitis However it says monitior stool color under acute as well, and when I have done practice questions I have gotten them wrong because they are saying that it is a chronic symptom?!

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Any disease state affecting the exocrine function of the pancreas (lipase) can cause steatorrhea. I wouldn't expect to see steatorrhea in truly *acute* disease. Pancreatic disease, hepatic/biliary disease, malabsorptive disease states - multiple processes can cause steatorrhea. But, if the question is posed with either acute or chronic pancreatitis listed as separate choices, choose chronic, as that is almost a guarantee to see steatorrhea whereas the timing in acute disease is much more variable.

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