title: Pancreatic somatostatinoma: presentation with recurrent episodes of severe hyperglycaemia and ketoacidosis.
abstract: A 47-year-old woman was admitted on four occasions over a four-year period with severe hyperglycaemia associated with marked ketoacidosis. She had weight loss with hepatomegaly and ultrasonography indicated a pancreatic tumour which was shown to be a somatostatinoma. Resection resulted in prolonged survival. The biochemical and morphological features of this rare tumour are presented, and an explanation for the unusual presentation of a somatostatinoma with episodes of ketoacidosis is given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Willcox
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Immelman
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Klaff
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Harries-Jones
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hainsworth
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Millar
mesh_terms: D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000150:complications*; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D013005:Somatostatinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones