Abstract

RODRIGO, L. et al. Relapsing acute pancreatitis associated with gluten enteropathy: Clinical, laboratory, and evolutive characteristics in thirty-four patients. Rev. esp. enferm. dig. [online]. 2008, vol.100, n.12, pp.746-751. ISSN 1130-0108.

Objectives: to describe the frequency and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of relapsing acute pancreatitis (AP) associated with gluten enteropathy (GE). Patients and methods: we prospectively examined all acute pancreatitis cases admitted to our Department in 2006. We recorded a total of 185 patients. With recurring forms, 40 (22%) in all, we used a clinical-lab protocol including serologic and genetic markers, and duodenal biopsy to rule out GE. Results: a total of 34 patients (18%) met clinical-biological criteria for GE (group 1), and were compared to the remaining non-GE AP cases (n = 161) (group 2). Mean age in the GE group was 54 ± 25 years, slightly younger than group 2 (61 ± 14) (NS). There was a mild predominance of women (50%) in group 1 versus group 2 (38.5%) (NS). Seven patients in group 1 (20%) had severe AP, as compared to 27 (17%) in group 2 (NS). The presence of cholelithiasis in group 1 involved 6 cases (18%), which was significantly lower than in group 2 - 72 cases (45%) (p < 0.05). Four patients with GE developed pseudocysts (12%) versus 13 (8%) in group 2 (NS). Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) was elevated only in 3 patients (9%). Nine patients (34%) were DQ2 (+) and 4 (12%) DQ8 (+); the rest (54%) were all negative for both markers. From an endoscopic perspective there was diffuse duodenitis in 32 patients (95%). Duodenal biopsies revealed villous atrophy (Marsh 3) in 2 patients (6%); submucosal inflammatory infiltration (Marsh 2) in 10 (29.4%); increased intraepithelial lymphocytes (Marsh 1) in 8 cases (23.5%), and normal mucosa (Marsh 0) in 14 patients (41.2%). Response to GFD after 1 year was excellent in 30 patients (88%). Conclusions: relapsing AP with GE represents a relatively common association that is indistinguishable from other APs from a clinical-evolutive standpoint, except for a lower presence of cholelithiasis (p < 0.05). A specific diagnostic protocol is much needed in the identification of these patients since GFD is the only effective therapy to prevent new AP events from developing.

Keywords : Celiac disease; Acute pancreatitis.

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