title: A case of idiopathic type 1 diabetes with subsequent recovery of endogenous insulin secretion despite initial diagnosis of fulminant type 1 diabetes.
abstract: Fulminant type 1 diabetes is characterized by remarkably rapid and complete β-cell destruction. The established diagnostic criteria include the occurrence of diabetic ketosis soon after the onset of hyperglycemic symptoms, elevated plasma glucose with relatively low HbA1c at the first visit, and extremely low C-peptide. Serum C-peptide levels remain extremely low over a prolonged period. A 26-year-old-man with diabetic ketosis was admitted to our hospital. His relatively low HbA1c (7.6%), despite marked hyperglycemia (593 mg/dL) with marked ketosis, indicated abrupt onset. Islet-related autoantibodies were all negative. His data at onset, including extremely low serum C-peptide (0.11 ng/mL), fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for fulminant type 1 diabetes. However, his fasting serum C-peptide levels subsequently showed substantial recovery. While fasting C-peptide stayed below 0.30 ng/mL during the first two months post onset, the levels gradually increased and thereafter fluctuated between 0.60 ng/mL and 0.90 ng/mL until 24 months post onset. By means of multiple daily insulin injection therapy, his glycemic control has been well maintained (HbA1c approximately 6.0%), with relatively small glycemic fluctuations evaluated by continuous glucose monitoring. This clinical course suggests that, despite the abrupt diabetes onset with extremely low C-peptide levels, substantial numbers of β-cells had been spared destruction and their function later showed gradual recovery. Diabetes has come to be considered a much more heterogeneous disease than the present subdivisions suggest. This case does not fit into the existing concepts of either fulminant type 1 or ketosis-prone diabetes, thereby further highlighting the heterogeneity of idiopathic type 1 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Metabolism, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Satake
authors.forename: Junpei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shojiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Junta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katagiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human