Idiopathic acute pancreatitis and sarcoidosis

Abstract

Pancreatic involvement is rare in sarcoidosis. We describe a 30-year-old man who had two episodes of acute pancreatitis within one month with no current aetiology. Diagnosis of sarcoidosis was based on the presence of bilateral mediastinal adenopathies, alveolar lymphocytosis on bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy of an enlarged lymph node showing multiple granulomas. This case and five others previously reported in the literature suggest the diagnosis of sarcoidosis should be considered in apparently acute idiopathic pancreatitis.