Acute Pancreatitis Associated with Tacrolimus in A Lung Transplant Recipient: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background: Tacrolimus is a commonly used immunosuppressant with well-defined side effects, including hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycaemia. However, acute pancreatitis is still not widely recognized as an adverse event related to tacrolimus.

Case presentation: A 60-year-old male was admitted to the intensive care unit with symptoms and signs of acute pancreatitis. He underwent lung transplantation 4 years ago and since then received tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and prednisone. His initial laboratory tests revealed elevated serum amylase and lipase, high inflammatory parameters, markedly elevated triglycerides and hyperglycemia with diabetic ketoacidosis. He was treated with continuous insulin infusion, electrolyte correction, crystalloid titration and antimicrobial therapy. During the fasting period, immunosuppression was maintained with parenteral methylprednisolone and tacrolimus. Gradually, oral tacrolimus, MMF and full enteral nutrition were introduced. A control computed tomography scan showed pancreatic body necrosis with a large pseudocyst. The patient was discharged on a strict diet, fenofibrate and short- and long-acting insulin. Immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus, MMF and prednisone was continued. He was hospitalized several times within a year due to complications of severe necrotizing pancreatitis.

Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis associated with the use of tacrolimus is rare. Factors contributing to its occurrence are longer exposure period, toxic levels of the drug and concurrent metabolic derangements, predominantly hypertriglyceridemia. In this case report we present a patient after lung transplantation on tacrolimus therapy who developed severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis along with hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes mellitus. We also conducted a literature search and found 13 other cases of acute pancreatitis presumably related to tacrolimus therapy.

Learning points: Tacrolimus related complications including metabolic changes are commonly observed.Development of acute pancreatitis is one of the rare complications of tacrolimus therapy, seldomly reported in transplant recipients.The definitive therapeutic approach is still to be determined.