A 57-year-old man is admitted to the hospital for treatment of chronic pancreatitis. In patients with chronic pancreatitis, deficiency of which of the following vitamins is most likely?

Deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) can occur in chronic pancreatitis due to loss of exocrine pancreas function. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), folic acid, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) are all water-soluble vitamins. It should be noted that most patients with chronic pancreatitis also are alcoholics and that alcoholics often have multiple nutritional deficiencies, including lack of watersoluble vitamins.