a long time, it is well known that hyperlipidemia and pancretitis is closely related,
though we could not define clearly whether the lipid abnormalities are the cause or the result
of the pancreatitis. In patients with hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis, the recurrent bous of
pancreatitis are controlled only when serum triglyceride levels are lowered toward normal. A
45-year old man with abdominal pain due to pancreatitis was admitted. For 15 years, he had
frequent reapse of pancreatitis. He denied any history of alcohol ingestion. On routine
laboratory examination, we could find no abnormal finding except lactescent serum with
marked hypertriglyceridemia up to 35 mmol/L, hypercholesterolemia and increased serum
amylase level. With low fat diet, weight reduction and femfibrozil 1,200 mg/day, he is now
pain free and his serum triglyceride level is about 5.3 mmol/L (465 mg/dL).
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