Olanzapine-induced acute necrotising pancreatitis leading to recurrent multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

A married mother in her 50s acutely developed vomiting, diarrhoea and severe epigastric pain 2 weeks following discharge from an acute psychiatric inpatient unit. She presented to the emergency department complaining of a 2-day history of the above symptoms. Blood tests revealed neutrophilia, grossly raised inflammatory markers and amylase levels triple the normal range. Based on radiological investigations, she was treated for necrotising pancreatitis that quickly escalated to multi-system organ failure and a lengthy intensive care unit admission. Common causes of pancreatitis, including cholelithiasis, alcohol and other drugs, were ruled out. Despite this, she suffered recurrent episodes of pancreatitis with significant morbidity. Olanzapine, started during her psychiatric admission, was determined to be the offending agent. Two years following the discontinuation of olanzapine, the patient has had no further episodes of acute pancreatitis.