Drug-Induced acute Pancreatitis: A Real-World Pharmacovigilance Study Using the Tunisian Databases

Abstract

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is acute inflammatory process of the pancreas, commonly attributed to biliary or alcoholic causes. Drug-induced AP, although rare, is increasingly recognized as a potential etiology. However, there is limited literature on this topic.

 Aim: This study aims to review the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, and management characteristics of drug-induced AP based on data from Tunisian databases.

Methods:  A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Digestive and Visceral Surgery, spanning five years. Thirteen cases of drug-induced AP out of 1580 admitted patients with AP were analyzed. Data collection included clinical characteristics, diagnosis methods, therapeutic approaches, and outcomes.

Results: We report a series of 13 cases of drug-induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Due to the rarity of this event, our small sample size limits the statistical power of our findings. However, each case provides valuable insight into potential drug associations with AP.
 The mean age of affected patients was 55.62 years, with a male predominance (77%). Common symptoms included sudden onset epigastric abdominal pain (100% of cases) and elevated lipase levels (92.3%). Implicated medications included captopril (38.5%), atorvastatin (23.1%), azathioprine (23.1%), metformin, and olanzapine (7.7% each). Management involved pain management and proton pump inhibitors, with favorable outcomes in 84% of cases. 

Conclusion: Drug-induced pancreatitis is a recognized entity requiring multidisciplinary management. Early recognition and reporting of suspected cases are essential for improved pharmacovigilance.