Endocrinology and Metabolism

Case Report

A Case of Autoimmune Hypoglycemia due to Insulin Antibody in Patient with End Stage Renal Disease.: Ji Ye Jung, Eun Seok Kang, Beom Seok Kim, Sung Wan Chun, Yumie Rhee, Chul Woo Ahn, Bong Soo Cha, Eun Jig Lee, Sung Kil Lim, Hyun Chul Lee; J Korean Endocr Soc. 2006;21(6):536-541. Published online December 1, 2006; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3803/jkes.2006.21.6.536

Abstract PDF: Fasting hypoglycemia results from several mechanisms. Autoimmune hypoglycemia is one of the rare causes of hypoglycemia, and characterized by hyperinsulinemia, fasting hypoglycemia and the presence of autoantibodies to insulin or insulin receptor. We report here on a 64-year-old male patient with autoimmune hypoglycemia with end stage renal disease. He had no history of diabetes or insulin use. He had experienced several severe hypoglycemic events. The serum C-peptide level was 7.48 ng/mL and the insulin concentration was 115.4 micro U/mL when the fasting plasma glucose level was 88 mg/dL. The insulin to glucose ratio was 5.42, which suggested the presence of insulinoma. Yet the radiologic studies, including magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasonography and selective calcium stimulated venous sampling revealed no evidence of insulinoma. The insulin autoantibody level was 62 micro U/mL. Therefore, we could diagnosis the autoimmune hypoglycemia. The hypoglycemia was treated with prednisolone and the patient recovered from this. His insulin level decreased to 21.11 micro U/mL and the insulin autoantibody level decreased to 34 micro U/mL. Hypoglycemia in the hemodialysis patients is not uncommon. One should bear in mind autoimmune hypoglycemia as one of the causes of hypoglycemia in patients with no history of diabetes.

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