Publication

Distinct mechanisms of hypoglycaemia in patients with somatostatin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours

Journal Paper/Review - Jun 27, 2019

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Wiesli P, Pavlicek V, Brändle M, Pfammatter T, Perren A, Schmid C. Distinct mechanisms of hypoglycaemia in patients with somatostatin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2019; 2:e00083.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2019; 2
Publication Date
Jun 27, 2019
Issn Electronic
2398-9238
Pages
e00083
Brief description/objective

Introduction
Somatostatin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours may present with diabetes, cholelithiasis and steatorrhoea. In addition, hypoglycaemia has been associated with somatostatinomas. However, the mechanism of hypoglycaemia in patients with somatostatinomas has not been well characterized.

Methods
We describe two patients with recurrent neuroglycopenic episodes caused by somatostatin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours in the liver, detected by abdominal CTs and whole-body octreotide scintigraphy scans and confirmed by biopsy.

Results
Pancreatic islet hyperplasia and co-secretion of insulin (in addition to somatostatin) from tumour cells, respectively, have been characterized as completely distinct mechanisms of hypoglycaemia at both the functional and morphological levels in these two patients.

Conclusions
Hypoglycaemia may be caused by different mechanisms in patients with somatostatinomas.