Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can cause hypertriglyceridemia and, rarely, acute pancreatitis. Propofol, which is used as a sedative for mechanical ventilation management, is a lipid preparation and may cause hypertriglyceridemia and pancreatitis; however, there are few reports in the literature. We describe a case of propofol-induced acute pancreatitis during DKA treatment. A 43-year-old woman, known with type 1 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, presented with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Acute pancreatitis was diagnosed after a detailed examination. At presentation, she had no evidence of pancreatitis. She required intubation and mechanical ventilation, and 5 hours after starting propofol, she developed elevated pancreatic enzymes. Based on computed tomography (CT) imaging findings acute pancreatitis was diagnosed. The propofol was discontinued, and the administration of large volume fluid replacement, continuous administration of insulin, and administration of gabexate mesilate improved the DKA and acute pancreatitis. DKA can cause acute pancreatitis, and administration of propofol when mechanical ventilation is required may cause hypertriglyceridemia, further increasing the risk of developing pancreatitis. Therefore, triglycerides (TG) monitoring is recommended when using propofol as a continuous sedative in patients with DKA.
