Asymptomatic Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia

Ana Ferreira; Mariana Serino Barbosa; Rita Coelho; Patrícia Lourenço

doi:10.12890/2020_001827

Asymptomatic Hyperinsulinaemic Hypoglycaemia

Ana Ferreira Department of Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7013-3664
Mariana Serino Barbosa Department of Pneumology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
Rita Coelho Department of Anatomopathology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
Patrícia Lourenço Department of Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12890/2020_001827

Keywords

Endogenous hyperinsulinism, hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, malignant insulinoma, hypoglycemia unawareness

Abstract

Hypoglycaemia is rare in apparently well patients without drug-treated diabetes mellitus and warrants evaluation and management when Whipple’s triad is present. Even in the absence of Whipple’s triad, when repeatedly low values of plasma glucose are documented, the presence of endogenous hyperinsulinism should be investigated. The authors describe a case of endogenous hypoglycaemic hyperinsulinism, its diagnosis and treatment and the challenges of determining its aetiology.

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