A CASE OF PREGNANCY COMPLICATED WITH HYPERLIPIDEMIA AND ACUTE PANCREATITIS

Abstract

A 35-year-old woman in the 37th week of pregnancy was admitted to our hospital because of high fever and abdominal pain. On admission, serum and urinary pancreatic enzymes, serum total cholesterol (T-chol) and triglyceride (TG) were markedly elevated. A diagnosis of acute pancreatitis with hyperlipidemia was made. A Cesarean section delivery resulted in the birth of a healthy infant. This patient had an initially low level of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. With the decreases of serum pancreatic enzymes and TG, LPL activity increased gradually, however, it was still below the normal level. Transient hyperlipidemia caused by the marked decrease of LPL activity due to pregnancy was thought to be the causative factor for acute pancreatitis in this case.