Suspected Acute Pancreatitis With Peripancreatic Fluid Collection in an Adolescent: A Possible Association With Energy Drink Overconsumption

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is uncommon in adolescents without underlying risk factors. Excessive consumption of energy drink-type beverages has been rarely reported as a possible contributing factor, although causality remains uncertain. We report a 14-year-old male who presented with severe epigastric pain radiating to the back and recurrent vomiting. He had a history of consuming over three bottles of a carbonated energy-type drink daily for eight months. Laboratory evaluation revealed elevated amylase (202 U/L) and lipase (245 U/L), and imaging identifies a peripancreatic fluid collection. Common causes of pancreatitis including gallstones, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercalcemia were assessed. The patient received conservative management including bowel rest, intravenous fluids, analgesics, antiemetics, and antibiotics, with gradual clinical improvement. A possible association between chronic excessive energy drink-type beverage consumption and pancreatic injury is described in this adolescent case. Awareness, education, and preventive measures are essential to reduce the incidence of such cases. Evaluation included assessment for common causes of pancreatitis including gallstones, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercalcemia, medication exposure, abdominal trauma, and metabolic disorders, although complete exclusion of rare etiologies was limited by resource constraints.