[Recurrent acute idiopathic pancreatitis. Look for a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine].
BACKGROUND
Among the new identified causes of so-called idiopathic acute pancreatitis are chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestine.


METHODS
A 21 year-old man was hospitalised for the third episode of unexplained acute pancreatitis. Digestive endoscopies revealed an ulcerated terminal ileitis compatible with Crohn's disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of idiopathic pancreatitis in patients exhibiting a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine is of around 1%. Pancreatic involvement may precede the digestive manifestations of Crohn's disease and its clinical expression varies. An auto-immune mechanism appears to be responsible.
Rey
P
P
Service des maladies digestives, Hôpital d'Instruction des armées Legouest, 27 avenue de Plantières, BP210, F-57998 Metz Armées, France. philippe.rey@santesurf.com
Andriamanantena
D
D
Carrere
C
C
Casassus-Builhe
D
D
Perret
J-L
JL
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D006680:HLA Antigens; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase