AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF HYPOGLYCEMIA: INSULIN AUTOIMMUNE SYNDROME

YASEMİN AYDOGAN UNSAL, OZEN OZ GUL, SONER CANDER, CANAN ERSOY, OKTAY UNSAL, ENSAR AYDEMIR, ERDİNC ERTURK

Turkish Journal of Internal Medicine - 2021;3(1):32-36

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Bursa Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, Bursa, Turkey

 

Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is a rare cause of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia characterized by antibodies to endogenous insulin without exposure to exogenous insulin. In this report, we presented a case of insulin autoimmune syndrome with a history of fasting hypoglycemia. After work up and exclusion of other causes such as insulinoma, hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic state of the patient was considered to have been induced by etofenamate. Although IAS is generally self-limiting and dietary management and withdrawal of trigger drug are enough to maintain euglycemia, in some cases corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, rituximab can be used for treatment. In our case, despite dietary management, hypoglycemia was severe and the patient’s life quality was adversely affected. After treatment with prednisolone, hypoglycemic episodes became less and less frequent. IAS should be considered as a differential diagnosis of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic states to avoid unnecessary interventions.