Association of Oral Glucocorticoid Use With an Increased Risk of Acute Pancreatitis

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is the most common pancreatic disorder. In 10% to 20% of patients, the disease progresses into a potentially life-threatening condition, associated with multiple-organ failure or death. While most cases of acute pancreatitis are attributed to excess alcohol consumption or gallstone disease,¹ the etiology is not fully understood,² and in 20% of cases it remains unknown.^3,4 Drug-induced acute pancreatitis has previously been considered as a rare cause of acute pancreatitis,⁵ but recent reports have indicated that drug-induced acute pancreatitis might be the third most common cause of the disease, accounting for 3% to 5% of all cases.^6,7