Azathioprine-associated acute pancreatitis in the course of chronic active hepatitis.

We have described a 22-year-old man with an HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis who developed an attack of pancreatitis during the course of treatment with prednisone and azathioprine. Clinical and biochemical abnormalities subsided when azathioprine was stopped and reappeared after rechallenge with the drug. Azathioprine-associated acute pancreatitis is well recognized mostly during treatment of Crohn's disease and after renal transplantation. This adverse effect should, therefore, also be kept in mind during the treatment of chronic active hepatitis.