Open AccessInsulin autoimmune syndrome: A rare cause of hypoglycemia
Author(s) -
Tejas M Maheshwari,
Anurag Sharma,
Bhagwani Bai Maheshwari
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of family medicine and primary care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2278-7135
pISSN - 2249-4863
DOI - 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_319_20
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoglycemia , hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia , insulin , dieting , population , pediatrics , endocrinology , obesity , weight loss , environmental health
Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is a rare cause of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. It is due to autoantibodies to endogenous insulin in person who has never been sensitized to insulin by injections. IAS is a third leading cause of spontaneous hypoglycemia in Japan and it is increasingly being recognized worldwide in non-Asian population. However, we report a case of IAS in Asian male. A certain class of medication called sulfhydryl compounds have been shown to sometimes cause IAS. Recently a compound called alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has been associated with an increased risk of developing IAS. ALA is sometimes used for dieting purposes. We report a case of 36-year-old Indian male presented with symptoms of dizziness and feeling of hunger with sweating, noted to have low blood sugars on multiple occasions. There is a definite history of ALA compound intake as dietary supplements with multivitamins. Subsequently, he was diagnosed as a case of recurrent hypoglycemia from IAS due to ALA intake and managed accordingly.