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Pancreatitis induced by codeine: a case report with positive rechallenge
P Hastier1, F Longo, M Buckley
1Department of Hepatogastroenterology, Hôpital de l'Archet II, Nice, France.
Gut
|January 1, 1998
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of acute pancreatitis caused by low-dose codeine. Positive rechallenge confirmed codeine as the sole inducer, highlighting a potential, albeit uncommon, adverse drug reaction.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Gastroenterology
- Clinical Toxicology
Background:
- Codeine is an opioid analgesic widely used for pain relief.
- Adverse drug reactions to codeine can range from mild to severe.
- Pancreatitis is a serious inflammation of the pancreas, often associated with gallstones or alcohol, but drug-induced cases are recognized.
Observation:
- A case of acute pancreatitis is presented in a patient following the ingestion of low-dose codeine.
- The patient experienced pancreatitis solely attributed to codeine exposure.
- A positive rechallenge confirmed codeine as the causative agent.
Findings:
- This report describes the first documented case of acute pancreatitis induced exclusively by codeine.
- The adverse event occurred despite the use of a low therapeutic dose of codeine.
- The positive rechallenge strongly supports a direct causal link between codeine and pancreatitis.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider codeine as a potential cause of acute pancreatitis, even at low doses.
- This finding expands the known spectrum of codeine-induced adverse drug reactions.
- Further pharmacovigilance is warranted to assess the true incidence of codeine-related pancreatitis.
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