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Autoimmune pancreatitis
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Overview
Autoimmune pancreatitis affects the pancreas, a gland behind the stomach and in front of the spine, and can also affect the bile ducts, salivary glands, kidneys, and lymph nodes. It is thought to occur when the immune system mistakenly begins to attack these healthy body tissues, glands, and organs. Common signs and symptoms include painless jaundice, weight loss, and noncancerous masses in the pancreas and other organs. Treatment often involves corticosteroids. The condition may recur following treatment, and require additional therapy.[1]
References
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. http://www.mayoclinic.org/autoimmune-pancreatitis/. Accessed February 6, 2012.
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On this page
General Information
- The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Web site provides information on autoimmune pancreatitis. Click on the link above to access the information pages.
- The Baylor College of Medicine Grand Rounds Web pages include an entry on autoimmune pancreatitis. Click on the link above to view the information page.
- The University of Chicago Medicine Web site has an information page on chronic pancreatitis, which includes information on autoimmune pancreatitis. Click on the link above to view the information page.
- The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), offers information on this topic. You can contact NDDIC by calling toll-free 1-800-891-5389 or by e-mail nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
- Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge. Click on the link to read information on this topic.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Autoimmune pancreatitis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
Selected Full-Text Journal Articles
- Law R et al., Autoimmune pancreatitis: A mimic of pancreatic cancer. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Oct 2009;76(10):607-615.
- Wayne M et al., Autoimmune pancreatitis: Unveiling a hidden entity. Arch Surg. Nov 2005;140:1104-1107.
- Pezzilli R et al., Autoimmune pancreatitis management: reflections on the past decade and the decade to come. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2012 Feb;8(2):115-7.
- Zen Y et al., Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2011 Dec 7;6:82.