Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy and familial chylomicronemia syndrome: case report and literature review

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis rarely occurs in pregnancy, with hypertriglyceridemia being the fourth leading cause during pregnancy. Hypertriglyceridemia, of which Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome is the most severe form, ranks among the four principal causes of pancreatitis in pregnancy. Total Plasma exchange (TPE) has been found to be an effective and safe intervention both as a therapeutic and a prophylactic act. A 22-year-old female with FCS presented at the 21st week of gestation with acute hypertriglyceridemia pancreatitis. Despite medical management, she was then started on TPE at the two-week follow-up after serum triglyceride level was out of control. The triglyceride dropped from 55.0 % to 77.5 % during these sessions. Despite these interventions, pancreatitis recurred in week 34. An emergency C-section was carried out after a drop in the fetal heart rate. Postpartum triglycerides dropped by 57 % but remained above 1,000 mg/dl. FCS is difficult to manage during pregnancy, and it frequently fails to respond to various pharmacologic lines. TPE can help prolong a pregnancy, but it is not a definite treatment. Novel therapies for hypertriglyceridemia in pregnancy await additional safety testing.