Recurrent pancreatitis as a manifestation of multisystem mitochondrial disorder

In single cases mitochondrial disorders may manifest as pancreatitis, but recurrent, chronic pancreatitis with exacerbations of at least 15 times without morphological alterations of the pancreas but concomitant diabetes mellitus has not been reported. In a 57-year-old Caucasian male mitochondrial disorder was diagnosed at the age of 49 years upon epilepsy with generalized and focal seizures, cognitive decline, migraine, mitochondrial myopathy, polyneuropathy, diabetes mellitus, hypokalie-mia, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, sicca syndrome, recurrent pancreatitis, chronic diarrhea, polydipsia, hyperhidrosis, steatosis hepatis, anemia, thrombopenia, an abnormal lactate stress test, and a muscle biopsy showing ragged-red muscle fibers, single completely COX-negative fibers, target fibers, increased number of sarcoplasmatic lipid droplets, but normal mitochondrial morphology on electron microscopy. Between the age of 33 years and the age of 44 years, at least 15 episodes of pancreatitis, manifesting as severe abdominal pain, and elevated exocrine pancreatic enzymes, but without morphological alterations of the pancreas, responding well to H2-blockers and food restriction had occurred. Recurrent pancreatitis without morphological alterations of the pancreas may be a feature of multisystem mitochondrial disorder resulting in diabetes mellitus. Physicians should familiarize with pancreatitis as a manifestation of a mitochondrial disorder and mitochondrial disorder should be excluded in patients with pancreatitis.