Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome: a rare cause of postprandial hypoglycemia

A 65-year-old obese Caucasian woman presented with symptomatic postprandial hypoglycemic episodes, resolution of symptoms with carbohydrate intake and significantly elevated anti-insulin antibody levels. She did not have any evidence for the use of oral antidiabetic medications, insulin, herbal substances, performing strenuous exercise or history of bariatric surgery. Fingerstick blood glucose readings revealed blood sugar of 35 mg/dL and 48 mg/dL, when she had these symptoms. Her medical history was significant for morbid obesity, hypothyroidism and gastro esophageal reflux disease. Her home medications included levothyroxine, propranolol and omeprazole. A blood sample obtained during the symptoms revealed the following: fingerstick blood sugar 38 mg/dL, venous blood glucose 60 mg/dL (normal (n): 70–99 mg/dL), serum insulin 202 IU/mL (n: 45.4 U/mL (n: <0.4). The result obtained while screening for serum sulfonylurea and meglitinides was negative. The repeated episodes of postprandial hypoglycemia associated with significantly elevated anti-insulin antibodies led to a diagnosis of insulin antibody syndrome (IAS). Significant improvement of hypoglycemic symptoms and lower anti-insulin antibody levels (33 U/mL) was noted on nutritional management during the following 6 months. Based on a report of pantoprazole-related IAS cases, her omeprazole was switched to a H2 receptor blocker. She reported only two episodes of hypoglycemia, and anti-insulin antibody levels were significantly lower at 10 U/mL after the following 12-month follow-up. Learning points: Initial assessment of the Whipple criteria is critical to establish the clinical diagnosis of hypoglycemia accurately. Blood sugar monitoring with fingerstick blood glucose method can provide important information during hypoglycemia workup. Autoimmune hypoglycemia is a rare cause of hypoglycemia, which can be diagnosed on high index of clinical suspicion and systematic evaluation. Background Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) – a rare cause of autoimmune hypoglycemia – was first described in a study by Hirata et al. in Japan in 1970 (1). It is characterized by spontaneous hypoglycemia, elevated insulin levels and elevated anti-insulin antibody levels. Typically, it is known to occur in patients exposed to insulin analogues (1). Other medications such as alpha lipoic acid (2) and sulfa-containing drugs such as procainamide, methimazole and hydralazine have also been found to be associated with IAS (3). We present a rare case of IAS in a patient with morbid obesity and prediabetes and using omeprazole.