Autoimmune Pancreatitis: A Case Report

Abstract

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a fibro-inflammatory form of chronic pancreatitis. It is diagnosed by the combination of imaging studies such as a CT scan and pancreatography, laboratory analyses that include IgG4 and/or autoantibodies, histopathological evaluations and positive response to corticosteroid therapy. We report the case of a 41-year-old female with a history of jaundice and increasing abdominal pain for two weeks prior to her clinic visit. Laboratory results were significant for an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) confirmed areas of stenosis and dilatation in the pancreatic duct and in the intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts similar to primary sclerosant cholangitis. Laboratory analyses showed increased levels of IgG4 with the presence of antinuclear antibodies.