Acute pancreatitis during oral 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 35; no. 9; pp. 1180 - 1182
• Main Authors: FIORENTINI, M. T, FRACCHIA, M, GALATOLA, G, BARLOTTA, A, DE LA PIERRE, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01-09-1990
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Aminosalicylic Acids - administration & dosage; Aminosalicylic Acids - adverse effects; Aminosalicylic Acids - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Colitis, Ulcerative - drug therapy; Crohn Disease - drug therapy; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mesalamine; Pancreatitis - chemically induced; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Toxicity: digestive system; Case study; Human; Toxicity; Acute; Pancreatitis; Digestive diseases; Salicylates; Pancreatic disease
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/bf01537594

Therapy with oral 5-aminosalicylic acid for inflammatory bowel disease has been reported as effective and safe. We report two cases of biochemically proven mild acute pancreatitis occurring 2 and 14 days, respectively, after oral 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy was instituted for inflammatory bowel disease. A hypersensitivity mechanism might be involved, owing to possible erratic systemic absorption of the drug. We suggest clinical and biochemical monitoring for patients undergoing oral 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy in order to confirm its possible association with acute pancreatitis and to assess the actual incidence of such an adverse reaction.