A Case of Severe Hypoglycemia Caused by Excessive Alcohol Intake with Subclinical Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Suppression

DOI Web Site 14 References
  • Yamamoto Sunao
    The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan
  • Okada Yosuke
    The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan
  • Nishida Keiko
    Nishida-Keiko Clinic
  • Matsushita Koji
    Department of Internal Medicine, Kyusyu Rosai Hospital Moji Medical Center
  • Arao Tadashi
    The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan
  • Tanaka Yoshiya
    The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 潜在的な下垂体・副腎皮質機能抑制状態に発症した重篤なアルコール性低血糖の1例
  • ショウレイ ホウコク センザイテキ ナ カスイタイ ・ フクジン ヒシツ キノウ ヨクセイ ジョウタイ ニ ハッショウ シタ ジュウトク ナ アルコールセイ テイケットウ ノ 1レイ

Search this article

Description

We report on a 67-year-old woman who suffered from severe hypoglycemia caused by excessive alcohol consumption. She was a heavy drinker from her young adulthood and had been treated with oral prednisolone for rheumatoid arthritis since 1990. In August 2007, she was found comatose in the morning after binge drinking and was transferred to our hospital. Since she was found to be severely hypoglycemic (plasma glucose 8 mg/dl, immunoreactive insulin 0.6 μU/ml) and she recovered consciousness with the intravenous administration of glucose, her diagnosis was hypoglycemic coma. Thereafter, she ate regular meals and quit drinking, with no recurrence of hypoglycemia. A fasting test demonstrated that hypoglycemia unawareness occurred at 40 hours after the start, and a rapid ACTH loading test demonstrated a low cortisol response. Thus, it was suggested that she might experience hypoglycemia unawareness during her daily life because of malnutrition due to chronic alcohol consumption, and subclinical hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression due to oral steroids. Given this background, we concluded that excess alcohol intake induced hypoglycemic coma in this patient through inhibition of gluconeogenesis.<br>

Journal

References(14)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top