Coronavirus Disease-19-associated Acute Pancreatitis: Report of Three Cases and Review of Case Reports

Fahmi Yousef khan; Theeb Osama Sulaiman; Arun Prabhakaran Nair; Mohamed Elmudathir Osman

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2021.6064

Authors

Fahmi Yousef khan Department of Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5741-7435
Theeb Osama Sulaiman Department of Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4812-3459
Arun Prabhakaran Nair Department of Infectious Disease, Communicable Disease Center, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5098-0172
Mohamed Elmudathir Osman Department of Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4964-5734

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.6064

Keywords:

Acute pancreatitis, Lipase, Amylase, Coronavirus disease-19 polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with acute pancreatitis continue to emerge. In this series, we present three cases of acute pancreatitis associated with COVID-19 with no obvious etiology.

CASE REPORTS: The first case was a 47-year-old man who presented with severe abdominal periumbilical pain, preceded by fever and dry cough. Based on a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and elevated serum amylase and lipase >3 times the upper normal limit, the diagnosis of COVID-19 and acute pancreatitis were established. The next case was a 57-year-old man with confirmed COVID-19 who developed severe epigastric pain radiating to the back and was associated with nausea and vomiting. His serum amylase and lipase were elevated >3 times the upper normal limit confirming the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. The third case was a 31-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a few hours of severe epigastric pain radiating to the back associated with nausea and vomiting. Two days before his presentation, he had a runny nose and fever. A combination of serum amylase and lipase elevation, >3 times the upper normal limits, and a positive COVID-19 PCR test were obtained concurrently, confirming the diagnosis of COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis. All patients were admitted to the Mesaieed Hospital COVID-19 facility and received treatment for COVID-19 according to our local guidelines, while acute pancreatitis was treated conservatively. All three patients were discharged in good condition.

CONCLUSION: This case series suggests a possible correlation between COVID-19 and acute pancreatitis.

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