Concurrent Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Acute Pancreatitis in Mild Hypertriglyceridemia: An Enigmatic Triangle

Abstract

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a well-established cause of acute pancreatitis (AP). Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) leads to lipolysis and HTG, and can result in AP. Triad of AP, DKA, and HTG is rare and not fully understood. Usually AP is associated with severe HTG with serum triglyceride (TG) level over 1,000 mg/dL. However, we experienced two cases of AP in DKA with mild HTG with TG level less than 200 mg/dL. Herein, we report these unusual cases and provide a review of the literature about the triad of DKA, HTG, and AP.