An Uncommon Cause of Acute Pancreatitis in a Patient With COVID-19

Drug-induced pancreatitis is a rare though important condition that remains a diagnostic challenge. Most of the evidence relies on case reports, and clinicians should consider a high suspicion of the diagnosis after ruling out other causes. In particular, steroids are frequently used drugs that have recently been associated with acute pancreatitis. The authors present the case of a 60-year-old female admitted to the emergency room with a fever and shortness of breath. The SARS-CoV-2 test was positive, and the chest radiography was suggestive of COVID-19 pneumonia. The patient started dexamethasone because of respiratory failure. On Day 7, she developed epigastric pain radiating to the back and the amylase level was greater than 10 times the upper reference limit (1354 U/L). A detailed evaluation of the medical history, along with the exclusion of other possible etiologies confirmed the diagnosis of steroid-induced pancreatitis. Supportive care and cessation of the offending drug led to the resolution of symptoms. As steroids are used as part of the treatment of most COVID-19 patients, this case suggests the need to consider this entity, as a delay in the diagnosis may result in complications and prolonged hospital stay.