[Acute nonalcoholic nonbiliary pancreatitis. Difficulties in diagnosis and possibility of nicotine toxicity].
BACKGROUND
The possibility of nicotine toxicity, although rare, should be considered in cases of acute edematous pancreatitis.


METHODS
A 30-year-old woman was hospitalized to identify the cause of an initial episode of acute edematous pancreatitis. The observation of native anti-DNA and antiphospholipid antibodies suggested lupus pancreatitis and/or an antiphospholipid syndrome, both subsequently ruled out. The final diagnosis was nicotine poisoning induced by the combination of a nicotine patch and tobacco smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Although a nicotine patch has never been reported in connection with an episode of acute pancreatitis before, this case suggests that such an event might be a rare complication of an overdose of nicotine.
Berthier
S
S
Service de médecine interne et immunologie clinique, Hôpital Le Bocage, Bd de Lattre de Tassigny, 21000 Dijon. sabine.berthier@chu-dijon.fr
Michiels
C
C
Sgro
C
C
Bonnotte
B
B
Lorcerie
B
B
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000633:toxicity*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine