Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) associated with severe acute pancreatitis: Case report on three family members

Hadi, Amer; Werge, Mikkel Parsberg; Kristiansen, Klaus Tjelle; Pedersen, Ulf Gøttrup; Karstensen, John Gásdal; Novovic, Srdan; Gluud, Lise Lotte

Background/Objectives: Abdominal pain is one of the known symptoms associated with coronavirus disease 2019. Little is known about the development of acute pancreatitis as a complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. This case report describes the presentation of acute pancreatitis in two of three family members with severe COVID-19 infection. METHODS: Data were collected from three family members admitted with COVID-19 to the intensive care unit in March 2020. This study was reviewed and approved by the local data and ethics committee (31-1521-253). RESULTS: Two of the three family members were diagnosed with acute pancreatitis associated with SARS-CoV-2. Other causes of acute pancreatitis were excluded for both patients (including alcohol, biliary obstruction/gall stones, drugs, trauma, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercalcemia, and hypotension). CONCLUSIONS: These cases highlight acute pancreatitis as a complication associated with COVID-19 and underlines the importance of measuring pancreas-specific plasma amylase in patients with COVID-19 and abdominal pain.