Insulin Autoimmune Syndrome: a rare case of hypoglycaemia resolving with immunosuppression.

We report a case of a 58-year-old male presenting with confusion and hypoglycaemia. There had been no prior exposure to oral hypoglycaemic agents or insulin. He was found to have inappropriate endogenous hyperinsulinaemia. Insulinoma was excluded by detailed endocrine assessment. Insulin antibodies were positive in keeping with a diagnosis of insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS). He was treated with prednisolone 5mg once daily and nutritional supplements leading to resolution of acute confusion and hypoglycaemic episodes. The patient also had severe psoriasis and following discharge was treated with a variety of immunosuppressant therapies. This was associated with disappearance of insulin antibodies after twelve months of follow up. While it is possible that there was spontaneous resolution of insulin antibodies, we speculate that his prednisolone and immunosuppressant therapy may have suppressed insulin antibody production. There are several well recognised associations with IAS and autoimmune conditions, including Grave’s disease, systemic lupus erythematous and rheumatoid arthritis. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of insulin autoimmune syndrome, resolving with immunosuppressant treatment of psoriasis.