Brucellosis-related acute pancreatitis: A rare complication of a universal disease

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence and determinants of acute pancreatitis in patients with acute brucellosis. METHODS Adult patients with brucellosis were retrospectively recruited. Brucellosis and acute pancreatitis were diagnosed according to standard criteria. Laboratory analyses included Wright agglutination titre, serum biochemical parameters and blood count. RESULTS Patients with acute pancreatitis (n = 21) had significantly higher Wright agglutination titres, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, amylase, lipase and serum glucose concentrations, and significantly lower haemoglobin concentrations and haematocrit than patients with brucellosis alone (n = 326). CONCLUSIONS Hyperglycaemia, anaemia, and liver transaminase and cholestatic enzyme concentrations may represent new approaches for assessing disease severity in patients with brucellosis and acute pancreatitis.