Acute pancreatitis in a child with idiopathic ulcerative colitis on long-term 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy.

Acute pancreatitis is a rare but known complication of inflammatory bowel disease in adults. In children, only a few cases with this complication have been reported. We describe a 10-year-old boy with ulcerative colitis who developed acute pancreatitis while on long-term treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid.

Acute pancreatitis associated with the use of 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfasalazine in a patient with ulcerative colitis

Several drugs including sulfonamides, azathioprine, thiazides, furosemide, estrogens and tetracyclines have been implicated in acute pancreatitis. Sulfsalazine is well established in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. However, adverse effects to this agent are common, the incidence of which varies from 5-55% in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The most common adverse effects to sulfasalazine are gastrointestinal, hematological and generalized [headache, vertigo, rash, fever]. Pancreatitis and hepatitis are rare adverse effects of sulfasalazin therapy. Pancreatitis has been attributed to the sulfonamide moiety of this agent. Acute pancreatitis associated with the use of sulfasalzine is well known. Recently, acute pancreatitis associated with the use of 5 aminosaliclic acid has been reported. Presented is another case of acute pancreatitis induced by 5 aminosalicylic acid first and later by sulfasalazine in a patient with inflammatory bowel disease