Severe Hypertriglyceridemia-Induced Pancreatitis in Pregnancy: A Dreaded Combination

Excerpt

Plasma lipid concentrations get altered physiologically during pregnancy, albeit with minimal clinical consequences. Pregnancy-related hypertriglyceridemia is one such alteration wherein plasma triglycerides increase 2–3 folds, especially during the third trimester. These changes are usually well tolerated by a normal pregnant woman. However, very rarely, generally associated with genetic modifications can a pregnant lady have severe hypertriglyceridemia (> 1000 mg/dl). Severe hypertriglyceridemia in a pregnant lady can have serious complications like pancreatitis, pre-eclampsia and hyperviscosity syndrome. Considering the rarity of the condition, the management recommendations are limited to case reports and personal experiences [1]. Here, we describe the complete clinical course of severe hypertriglyceridemia in a pregnant woman due to lipoprotein lipase deficiency who developed pancreatitis. …