Repetitive acute pancreatitis in a late-diagnosed cystic fibrosis: prevention of relapses by octreotide in the long term

We report on the case of a 35 year-old woman who was initially admitted for acute pancreatitis in october 1995. The patient was suffering from asthma (since childhood) and diffuse abdominal pain (since adolescence). The diagn osis of cystic fibrosis was made fortuitously during a sterility evaluation . After extensive etiological screening the acute pancreatitis; was conside red to be a manifestation of the cystic Fibrosis. Despite therapy with panc reatic enzymes, the patient continued to suffer from chronic ab ominal pain . High intake of analgesics was required. Until December 1995, the patient was repeatedly admitted for episodes of acute pancreatitis. In January 1996 , we initiated a preventive treatment with subcutaneous octreotide between 100 and 200 mug, three time a day. Thereafter, there were fewer episodes of pancreatitis and the consumption of analgesics decreased. Side effects of octreotide were intermittent ea and development of cholelithiasis that was complicated by biliary migration in November 1998. In June 1999, the prolon ged-release form of the molecule was given without modification of the effi cacy.