Open AccessAcute fatty liver of pregnancy associated with severe acute pancreatitis: A case report
Author(s) -
Cássio Vieira de Oliveira,
Aldenise Alves Moreira,
Júlio Pinheiro Baima,
L. Franzoni,
Tiago Barbalho Lima,
Fábio da Silva Yamashiro,
K. Y. R. Coelho,
Lígia Yukie Sassaki,
Carlos Antonio Caramori,
Fernando Gomes Romeiro,
Giovanni Faria Silva
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
world journal of hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 55
ISSN - 1948-5182
DOI - 10.4254/wjh.v6.i7.527
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , acute pancreatitis , acute fatty liver of pregnancy , abdominal pain , vomiting , pancreatitis , disease , obstetrics , fatty liver , gestation , pediatrics , genetics , biology
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a rare disease that affects women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Although infrequent, the disease can cause maternal mortality. The diagnosis is not always clear until the pregnancy is terminated, and significant complications, such as acute pancreatitis, can occur. Pancreatic involvement typically only occurs in severe cases after the development of hepatic and renal impairment. To date, little knowledge is available regarding how the disease causes pancreatitis. Treatment involves supportive measures and pregnancy interruption. In this report, we describe a case of a previously healthy 26-year-old woman at a gestational age of 27 wk and 6 d who was admitted with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. This case illustrates the clinical and laboratory overlap between acute fatty liver of pregnancy and pancreatitis, highlighting the difficulties in differentiating each disease. Furthermore, the hypothesis for this overlapping is presented, and the therapeutic options are discussed.