ACUTE-PANCREATITIS IN HENOCH-SCHONLEIN PU RPURA - 2 CASE-REPORTS

Abdominal pain observed in Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is usually a ttributed to digestive tract involvement. Pancreatic involvement is a rare and benign complication. The authors report two cases of acute pa ncreatitis as a complication of HSP. Pancreatitis was confirmed in bot h cases by clinical presentation and increase of serum amylase levels. Abdominal echography has demonstrated ascitis or alithiasic cholecyst itis without pancreatic abnormality. The prognosis was favourable in e ach case. Pathophysiologic mechanism is presumably a vasculitis of the small vessels specially within the pancreas leading to inflammation. Abdominal pain can be explained by a digestive tract involvement bur a lso by an acute pancreatitis. This later occurence is not as exception al as reported bi the literature. Thus, serum amylase levels should be evaluated in patients with HSP who have intense epigastric or abdomin al pain, in order to recognize a pancreatic involvement.