Crohn's disease presenting with acute pancreatitis

Crohn's disease is often accompanied by extraintestinal inflam- mation. Acute pancreatitis can be a rare manifestation of Crohn's disease. The present report describes a patient who developed two episodes of pancreatitis before the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Clinical and laboratory evaluation excluded other causes of pancreatitis, confirming a direct association of the pancreatitis with Crohn's disease. This case report supports the hypothesis that acute pancreatitis may precede the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of the underlying inflammatory bowel disease. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2014, 77, 357-358).