Pancreatitis as initial presentation of cystic fibrosis in young adults. A report of two cases.

Because of marked improvement in diagnosis and management, cystic fibrosis is now more frequently noted in young adults, many of whom have only mild clinical forms. Pancreatitis is a known complication of cystic fibrosis and may occur at any time in the course of the disease; in rare instances, pancreatitis is the first presenting manifestation. The physician faced with a young adult with pancreatitis should consider cystic fibrosis in the differential diagnosis. We describe two young adults who presented with recurrent abdominal pain in whom the diagnosis of pancreatitis preceded the recognition of cystic fibrosis.