Diabetic ketoacidosis complicated with acute pancreatitis without hypertriglyceridemia: A double trouble

Abstract

The most common acute hyperglycemic emergency encountered in type-1 people with diabetes is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The patient presents with a myriad of symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia, and dehydration, along with symptoms of hyperglycemia, such as polyphagia, polyuria, or polydipsia. The condition may progress rapidly and most likely mask coexisting diseases such as acute pancreatitis (AP), in which the patient primarily presents with emesis and abdominal pain. Clinically, apparent pancreatitis is uncommon in children with DKA and might thus be missed, worsening the outcome and even becoming life-threatening. Therefore, we present a rare case of a 13-year-old diabetic who was timely diagnosed with DKA complicated with AP without hypertriglyceridemia and thus treated for the same, leading to a better prognosis.