AUTOIMMUNE PANCREATITIS
Autoimmune Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the pancreas. It is a newly recognised medical condition & tends to be misdiagnosed as pancreatic cancer due to the high similarity in their signs & symptoms.
Autoimmune pancreatitis is generally found in
There are two types of autoimmune pancreatitis - Type 1 & Type 2.
Type 1 Autoimmune Pancreatitis, also known as IgG4-related pancreatitis, is a medical disorder that affects multiple organs such as pancreas, bile ducts, salivary glands, kidneys & lymph nodes.
Type 2 Autoimmune Pancreatitis, also known as Idiopathic duct-centric pancreatitis, tends to affect only the pancreas.
What are the symptoms?
Autoimmune pancreatitis is a difficult condition to diagnose as firstly it does not cause any signs or symptoms and if it does, they are very similar to pancreatic cancer.
- Pale Stools
- Dark Urine
- Jaundice
- Nausea & Vomiting
- Weakness & fatigue
- Loss of Appetite
- Unintentional weight loss
The most common symptom of autoimmune pancreatitis is Jaundice and is found is almost 80% of the cases.
What are the risk factors?
For Type 1 Autoimmune pancreatitis, a person would be at risk if:
- Age is over 60
- Is a Male
- Ager is over 40
- He or She has Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Ulcerative colitis
For Type 2 Autoimmune pancreatitis, a person would be at risk if
What are the complications?
Untreated Autoimmune Pancreatitis can lead to the following complications:
- It can reduce the ability of the pancreas to make sufficient enzymes. This condition is known as Pancreatic insufficiency
- As pancreas is the organ that produces insulin, damage to it can lead to diabetes.
- Stones in Pancreas or Pancreatic Calcification
How is it Diagnosed?
- Blood tests to detect for high or abnormal levels of Serum IgG4, which is a symptom of Autoimmune Pancreatitis
- Imaging Tests:
- Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatograph (ERCP)
- Computed Axial Tomography Scan (CAT)
- Endoscopic Biopsy
How is it Treated?
In some patients, Autoimmune Pancreatitis may not require any treatment. In others, one of the following treatment methods may be necessary.
Surgical Intervention:- Corticosteroids - Most patients respond to a short course of corticosteroids and get better. However, there is a chance of relapse once the steroids are stopped.
- Biliary Stenting - Prior to starting medications, sometimes the doctor may need to drain the biliary ducts by inserting a tube. This is usually done in patients with symptoms of obstructive jaundice.
- Immunosuppressants & Immunosuppressants: To cut down the serious side effects that maybe resulting from use of steroids, doctors often suggest immunosuppressants.
