Acute pancreatitis secondary to acute undiagnosed lupus: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Pancreatitis is the acute inflammation of the pancreas associated with mortality, commonly presenting to the emergency department with significant abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and in severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Case Report: We present a rare case of pancreatitis secondary to acute systemic lupus erythematosus in a young patient with no past medical history and undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The patient had no classic exposures or ingestions of common causes of pancreatitis, and underwent an extensive workup with prolonged hospitalization until the antibody investigations revealed acute SLE. Conclusion: This case illustrates the importance of keeping autoimmunity as a potential cause of acute pancreatitis particularly in a patient with no other classic cause of pancreatitis. Despite SLE being described as a rare and uncommon cause of pancreatitis in patients with known SLE diagnosis, this case sheds significant light on pancreatitis being a first-time presentation in a patient with no past diagnosis of SLE. Awareness of this etiology may help prevent extended hospitalizations, decrease complications, and improve mortality in respective patients with undifferentiated acute pancreatitis.