Autoimmune Diseases

Pancreatitis, Autoimmune (AIP)

Overview

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a chronic pancreatitis that is usually treated with corticosteroids, and that has recently been found to be more systemic than previously thought in that it can affect organs other than the pancreas. ISN.

Autoimmune Pancreatitis. Autoimmune pancreatitis is a recently recognized inflammatory disorder that can affect not only the pancreas, but also the bile ducts, salivary glands, kidneys and lymph nodes. The disease occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, causing ongoing inflammation and potentially serious complications. MayoClinic.

Autoimmune Pancreatitis and Other Diseases

Hypothyroidism in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether this subclinical hypothyroidism is another manifestation of IgG4-RD. PubMed, World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther, 2018 May 6;9(2):16-21. (Also see Thyroid Diseases)

Prevalence, severity, and clinical features of acute (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. There were significant differences in the clinical manifestations of AP and CP and patients with severe AP were found to have a higher incidence of concomitant infection and serum triglyceride levels. PubMed, Rheumatol Int, 07/05/2016. (Also see Lupus in Overlap and Complications)

Autoimmune Pancreatitis: A Multiorgan Disease Presenting a Conundrum for Clinicians in the West. IgG4-related diseases can manifest as sclerosing cholangitis, sclerosing sialadenitis, tubulo-interstitial nephritis, and/or retroperitoneal fibrosis. Other affected areas include the lung, prostate, aorta, pericardium, pituitary gland, and lymph nodes. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, September 2015, Volume 11, Issue 9.

Causes of AIP

Causes of Autoimmune Pancreatitis. Autoimmune pancreatitis, also called AIP, is a chronic inflammation that is thought to be caused by the body's immune system attacking the pancreas and that responds to steroid therapy. Two subtypes of AIP are now recognized, type 1 and type 2. Mayo Clinic.

Diagnosing AIP

Comparison of clinical characteristics of radiological forms of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Diffuse–type and head–type AIP patients had similar clinical features. The body and/or tail–type group differed significantly from the other two types. PubMed, HPB (Oxford), 05/26/2018.

Case Report: Diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) with cholesterol granuloma (CG) mimicking intraductal papillary–mucinous carcinoma. Although preoperative diagnosis may be difficult, AIP with CG should be considered as a differential diagnosis in pancreatic cysts involving nodular lesions. PubMed, Int J Surg Case Rep.

The Diagnostic Challenges of Autoimmune Pancreatitis. Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare but important differential diagnosis from pancreatic cancer. This autoimmune disease can mimic pancreatic cancer by its clinical symptoms, including weight loss and jaundice. Karger, Case Rep Gastroenterol, 2015;9:56-61.

Treating AIP

Case Report: Successful treatment of pediatric IgG4 related systemic disease with mycophenolate mofetil. Increased evaluation of IgG4 levels in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis may shed further light on the association of IgG4 with pancreatitis and the underlying pathophysiology. Melissa Mannion. Pediatric Rheumatology.

Azathioprine (AZA) Maintenance Therapy to Prevent Relapses in Autoimmune Pancreatitis (AIP). AZA is an effective and safe treatment to prevent AIP relapses. PubMed, Clin Transl Gastroenterol, 2017 Apr 27;8(4):e90. (Also see Immunosuppressants)

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