[Starvation is a rare cause of metabolic ketoacidosis].
A 79-year-old woman with no medical history was admitted under the diagnosis of stroke. Two months prior she had a fractured tibia, complicated by osteomyelitis. Physical examination showed dehydration and malnourishment. Chest X-ray revealed pneumonia and laboratory data revealed signs of infection, dehydration and normoglycaemic metabolic acidosis with elevated P-3-hydroxybutyrate. The case presents a starvation- (weight loss ~ 13 kg) and infection-induced non-diabetic metabolic ketoacidosis treated with intravenous supplementation of isotonic saline, potassium, bicarbonate and insulin.
Sjællandsgade 65, 1., 8000 Aarhus C. theakalender@gmail.com.
Thea
T
Vestergaard
Jeppe Frøkjær
JF
Aaen
Jens Meldgaard
JM
Bruun
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007662:Ketosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013217:Starvation / Q000150:complications*; D015431:Weight Loss