[Autoimmune pancreatitis associated with retroperitoneal fibrosis: outcome after 24 months of follow-up].

INTRODUCTION

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a kind of chronic pancreatitis characterized by the presence of lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and severely elevated serum IgG and IgG4, which has been associated to many extrapancreatic lesions and other autoimmune disorders, leading to the theory of an autoimmune mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.

CASE REPORT: We report the case of a man who simultaneously presented with autoimmune pancreatitis associated with retroperitonal fibrosis, and a lesion of the extrapancreatic bile duct, with total response to corticosteroid treatment for 4 months and absence of recurrence after 24 months of follow-up.

DISCUSSION: Autoimmune pancreatitis is a kind of chronic pancreatitis that is probably a part of a systemic autoimmune disease, with retroperitoneal fibrosis and extrapancreatic bile duct lesion being the most commonly associated extrapancreatic lesions. A correct diagnosis and early treatment of this disease may aid in the total resolution of lesions, especially in cases with a low activity grade.