Diabetic Ketoacidosis: An Adverse Reaction to Immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs), such as anti-programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), are being utilized in the treatment of many malignancies. Just like their benefits in increasing recurrence-free survival, they also have shown numerous side effects affecting various organ systems. The endocrine adverse events can range from diabetes, hypothyroidism to diabetic ketoacidosis, and adrenal crisis. We would like to report a case of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) secondary to combination ipilimumab and nivolumab therapy after two doses. A 49-year-old female presented to the emergency department with nausea and vomiting. Her labs revealed blood glucose of 384 mg/dL, positive ketones, glucose in the urine, and an arterial pH of 7.2. She was treated as per our diabetic ketoacidosis protocol and ultimately discharged on insulin therapy. Clinicians should be vigilant about new hyperglycemic episodes in their patients who are on immunotherapy. Timely detection and management lead to better outcomes. Insulin is the standard treatment of choice in the treatment of immunotherapy mediated type 1 diabetes mellitus.