Acute pancreatitis as a rare complication of diclofenac therapy

Abstract

We report a rare case of diclofenac-induced acute pancreatitis in a 52-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain after ingesting one tablet of diclofenac sodium 50 mg. The patient had a history of acute pancreatitis after diclofenac ingestion 6 months ago, and there was no history of alcohol intake. Serum amylase and lipase levels were high, and abdominal ultrasonography showed a contracted gallbladder without lithiasis, normal biliary tree, and liver. The patient received conservative management with analgesia, hydration, and fasting, and we resumed back her insulin and amlodipine. She was discharged on the 6th day of admission after significant clinical and laboratory improvement. During ambulatory follow-up, the patient presented complete resolution of the symptoms and biochemical results. The patient was advised to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.