A Diagnostic Conundrum: A Case of Pediatric Autoimmune Pancreatitis

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is rare cause of abdominal pain in children who often present with obstructive jaundice, mimicking malignancy. An investigation of clinical symptoms, serology, imaging, and histopathology is necessary for diagnosis. We report a 10-year-old female presenting with abdominal pain and jaundice, ultimately found to have AIP after confirmation with tissue pathology. Our patient’s prompt response to corticosteroid initiation is characteristic of this disease state. AIP has 2 subtypes, the second of which is more frequently found in children. Our patient’s pathology did not fit perfectly with either subtype, but had features found in each one. While diagnostic criteria for AIP have not established in pediatrics, our case highlights the combination of clinical symptoms, imaging, and histopathology that children classically present with. While rare, the diagnosis of AIP is associated with comorbidities and must be considered in any child presenting with a pancreatic mass or biliary stricture.