Diabetic ketoacidosis: an unusual presentation of acromegaly

Diabetes Mellitus of Pituitary Origin: A Case Report

We describe the case report of 36-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with diabetic ketoacidosis. On detailed clinical examination, coarse facial features in the form of large fleshy nose, thick lips, prognathism, and thickening of hands and feet were noticed, suggestive of acromegaly. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with acromegaly due to somatotropinoma. Impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus are frequently associated with acromegaly. Persistent growth hormone excess impairs insulin sensitivity, increases gluconeogenesis, reduces glucose uptake in adipose tissue and muscle, and alters pancreatic β-cell function. Rarely, diabetic ketoacidosis can be the presenting manifestation, as seen in this case.

Diabetes Mellitus of Pituitary Origin: A Case Report

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Diabetic ketoacidosis in acromegaly; a rare complication precipitated by corticosteroid use

Diabetic ketoacidosis has been described in the literature as a rare possible initial presentation of acromegaly before a diagnosis of acromegaly is eventually made. Indeed, diabetic ketoacidosis is a recognised complication of acromegaly. There are a number of factors that can predispose patients with acromegaly to diabetes as well as to diabetic ketoacidosis. These include high levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 in acromegaly and the effect on glycaemia by medications used in the management of acromegaly. Ketoacidosis has been described in patients with acromegaly even without the presence of an underlying autoimmune diabetes. Patients with acromegaly and ketoacidosis often respond to treatment and may not require long-term insulin.

Long-Term Follow-up of a Case with Proprotein Convertase 1/3 Deficiency: Transient Diabetes Mellitus with Intervening Diabetic Ketoacidosis During Growth Hormone Therapy

Proprotein convertase 1/3 (PC1/3) deficiency is a very rare disease characterized by severe intractable diarrhea in the first years of life, followed by obesity and several hormonal deficiencies later. Diabetes mellitus requiring insulin treatment and diabetic ketoacidosis have not been reported in this disorder. We herein present a girl with PC1/3 deficiency who has been followed from birth to 17 years of age. She developed deficiencies of all pituitary hormones over time as well as diabetes mellitus while receiving growth hormone (GH) therapy. She was complicated with diabetic ketoacidosis during dietary management of diabetes mellitus, thus insulin treatment was initiated. Insulin requirement to regulate hyperglycemia was short-lived. Repeat oral glucose tolerance test five years later was normal. The findings of this patient show that diabetes mellitus can develop at any time during follow-up of cases with proportein convertase 1/3 deficiency especially under GH therapy.