Introduction: A 38-year-old male presented with acute pancreatitis that occurred one day after administering the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Acute pancreatitis following the vaccination against COVID-19 is extremely rare.
Purpose: After this vaccine was officially approved for mass use, three clinical cases of acute pancreatitis following the vaccination have been reported (in each case, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, 30 g doses).
Materials and methods: The patient had no history of diseases and mentioned only rare colds. Aching pain (not related to physical activity) appeared in the left side of the lower back one day after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Clinical urinalysis was normal. The next day, he experienced pain in the left hypochondrium radiating to the lower back, decreased appetite, general weakness, nausea, loose stools up to 3 times a day, bloating, and subfebrile temperature. General blood analysis revealed leukocytosis and ESR acceleration. There was an overall increase for serum -amylase (15 times), serum pancreatic isoamylase (12 times), urine -amylase (6 times), and serum lipase (12 times). The blood glucose level was normal. According to the results of endoscopic ultrasonography and computed tomography, acute edematous pancreatitis was detected.
Results: Alcohol-induced, biliary, and autoimmune etiology of the disease were excluded. PCR was negative. Currently, the patientТs condition is satisfactory after the infusion therapy. Serum and urine pancreatic enzymes indices normalized. Fecal elastase-1 is slightly low (183 g/g). We continue the patientТs monitoring.
Conclusions: It is necessary to consider the possibility of acute pancreatitis that may occur after COVID-19 vaccination.