Use of Apheresis and Insulin for Hypertriglyceridemia-induced Pancreatitis and Diabetic Ketoacidosis

CLINICAL RELEVANCE Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common gastrointestinal disease that may result in multiple organ failure and death1 – Gallstones & alcohol are the most common causes of AP1 – Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) causes 1-4% of cases, and should be suspected if triglycerides (TG) are \u3e 1,000 mg/dL in the absence of gallstones or history of significant alcohol use1 – Clinical management of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis (HTGP) is based primarily on anecdotal evidence and case reports Concurrent diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and AP have been described in the literature – DKA may be a risk factor for AP, but it is uncertain if AP triggers DKA or vice-versa2 – The optimal management of patients that present with AP, HTG, and DKA is unknown2,