Acute pancreatitis as an initial manifestation of primary hyperparathyroidism: a case report

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common gastroenterological diseases. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis requires the presence of at least two of the following criteria: a typical clinical presentation, serum lipase and/or amylase levels exceeding three times the upper limit of normal, or imaging studies characteristic of acute pancreatitis. Numerous conditions may contribute to the development of acute pancreatitis, the most common being chronic alcohol abuse and cholelithiasis (gallstones). Rare causes of acute pancreatitis include, among others, hypercalcaemia. This article presents the case of a woman with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis caused by hypercalcaemia (peak serum calcium level: 13.3 mg/dL; peak serum parathyroid hormone level: 416 pg/mL), who was ultimately diagnosed with a parathyroid adenoma. The diagnostic workup and treatment are also described. Appropriate management of patients with acute pancreatitis requires an understanding of the disease aetiology.