Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Severe Insulin Resistance

Syndromes of severe insulin resistance (IR) include mutations of or autoantibodies to the insulin receptor and lipodystrophy (1). Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), although rare, can occur in these patients, even in the context of hyperinsulinemia, due to impaired insulin signaling. DKA can be extremely challenging to treat, and few clinicians are experienced or comfortable in using the high doses of insulin required. We describe aggressive management of DKA in three patients with syndromic severe IR.An 18-year-old man with compound heterozygous mutation of the insulin receptor presented with DKA. He had poorly controlled diabetes (A1C 14% [130 mmol/mol]) treated with U-500 insulin (1,500 units/day), metreleptin (recombinant human methionyl leptin as an experimental drug), and metformin (2 g/day).Two weeks prior, he underwent a root canal for an abscessed tooth but did not take the prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotics were subsequently initiated. One day after discharge, he developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and worsening jaw pain and swelling. Two days later, he developed fatigue, malaise, and Kussmaul respirations.He presented to an outside hospital with DKA with a pH of 7.08, partial pressure CO2 of 27 mmHg, and bicarbonate of 8 mmol/L. He received fluid resuscitation for an estimated 10% dehydration. In collaboration with National Institutes of Health (NIH) physicians, an insulin drip was started at 100 units/h that was gradually increased to 1,000 units/h on the first day and 2,000 units/h on the second day, without improvement of acidosis (Fig. 1 A ). Because of the lack of improvement despite massive doses of insulin (>50,000 units/day) and intravenous antibiotics, bicarbonate was given and dental extraction performed. He improved thereafter on 2,000 units/h of insulin, which …