Acute pancreatitis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: a review

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is a clinical condition that develops when active pancreatic inflammation is induced by stimuli noxious to the pancreas. Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often have histologic abnormalities of the pancreas, and acute pancreatitis is much more common in HIV-infected patients than in the general population. This article reviews the epidemiology and etiology of acute pancreatitis in HIV-infected patients. The clinical presentation and treatment of acute pancreatitis in HIV-infected patients are also reviewed.