Corticosteroid-induced pancreatitis: a case report demonstrating recurrence with rechallenge

The existence of corticosteroid-induced pancreatitis remains controversial, despite the fact that more than 40 cases have been reported since its first description in 1955. No previous case reports have shown recurrence of pancreatitis after rechallenge with corticosteroids. This report describes a patient with stage IIIB Hodgkin's disease who received dexamethasone on three occasions for symptoms of spinal cord compression. On each occasion, the patient developed clinically evident pancreatitis shortly after beginning corticosteroid therapy. We believe that the close temporal relationship of the recurrences following rechallenge clearly implicates corticosteroids as an etiologic factor in this patient's pancreatitis.