Faculty Collaboration Database

Hypertriglyceridemic Pancreatitis: Is Insulin Monotherapy A Feasible Therapeutic Option? Cureus 2018 Oct 17;10(10):e3461

Date

12/20/2018

Pubmed ID

30564540

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6298624

DOI

10.7759/cureus.3461

Abstract

Hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis (HTGP) is an uncommon but well-established clinical entity. Although the initial clinical features are similar to pancreatitis due to other etiologies, the severity of the disease and the risk of complications are higher in these patients. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis to avoid life-threatening complications. The initial conservative treatment is applied followed by additional specific therapies tailored to decrease serum triglyceride levels. This includes plasmapheresis, insulin, heparin infusion, and hemofiltration. After the acute episode, lifestyle modifications along with hypolipidemic medications should be initiated to prevent further events. Currently, there is paucity of the medical literature directly comparing different treatment modalities. This article illustrates the use of insulin therapy for HTGP as a feasible therapeutic choice. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to outline a generalized and efficient treatment for this serious disorder.

Author List

Inayat F, Zafar F, Riaz I, Younus F, Baig AS, Imran Z

Author

Fahad Zafar MBBS Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin