Intestine–pancreas: a confirmed connection

#IBD #Pancreatitis #UlcerativeColitis #CrohnsDisease  


Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), are autoimmune conditions marked by persistent intestinal inflammation with often unpredictable progression. Beyond digestive symptoms, they are known for their systemic nature, frequently causing extraintestinal manifestations that affect the skin, joints, eyes, and liver.

Among these systemic complications, pancreatic involvement remains relatively unexplored. Some clinical studies have reported an increased incidence of pancreatitis — either acute (AP) or chronic (CP) — in patients with IBD. However, this association is still poorly defined due to numerous confounding factors, such as the use of thiopurines, corticosteroids, or the presence of metabolic comorbidities (alcohol use, smoking, dyslipidemia). It remains unclear whether this link reflects a true inflammatory comorbidity or is merely a side effect of treatment.