Open AccessAutoimmune Pancreatitis with Effective Steroid Therapy
Author(s) -
Sung Pil Hong,
Seung Woo Park,
Jong-Moon Chung,
Jae Bock Chung,
Jin Kyung Kang,
Jinna Kim,
Myoung Jin Kim,
Young Nyun Park,
Si Young Song
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
yonsei medical journal/yonsei medical journal
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.702
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1976-2437
pISSN - 0513-5796
DOI - 10.3349/ymj.2003.44.3.534
Subject(s) - autoimmune pancreatitis , medicine , pancreatitis , hypergammaglobulinemia , abdominal pain , pancreas , gastroenterology , disease
Autoimmune pancreatitis has recently been described as a clinical entity that causes chronic pancreatitis. This unique form of chronic pancreatitis is characterized by minimal attacks of abdominal pain, irregular narrowing of the pancreatic duct, and a diffuse enlargement of the pancreas. Autoimmune pancreatitis is associated with hypergammaglobulinemia. In addition, there is histological evidence of lymphoplasmacytic inflammation, the occasional coexistence of other autoimmune diseases, and has a favorable response to glucocorticoid treatment. Recently autoimmune pancreatitis has been increasingly reported particularly in Japan. We report two patients with autoimmune pancreatitis who were treated successfully with corticosteroid therapy.