Autoimmune pancreatitis in young patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether there is a difference in the autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) seen in young and elderly patients.


BACKGROUND
AIP has a preponderance for elderly males, although the reason is unknown.


METHODS
A total of 64 patients with AIP were divided into a young (<40 y old) group and a middle-aged or elderly group (> or =40 y old) according to the age at diagnosis. The clinical findings of each group were compared.


RESULTS
The young group consisted of 6 patients (3 men, 3 women) with a mean age of 33.0 (range, 28 to 37) years. In the middle-aged or elderly group, there were 58 patients with a mean age of 66.4 (range, 46 to 83) years; males predominated (79%). Abdominal pain as the presenting symptom was significantly more frequent in the young group than in the middle-aged or elderly group (100% vs. 43%, P<0.05). Obstructive jaundice was detected in only 17% (1/6) of patients in the young group compared with 59% (34/58) of patients in the middle-aged or elderly group. Serum amylase elevations were detected more frequently in the young group than in the middle-aged or elderly group (83% vs. 40%, P<0.05). One young patient also had ulcerative colitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although rare in Japan, young patients with AIP show different clinical features from middle-aged or elderly patients with AIP; young patients are more likely to have abdominal pain and serum amylase elevations.
Kamisawa
Terumi
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. kamisawa@cick.jp
Wakabayashi
Tokio
T
Sawabu
Norio
N
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology