Abstract
We report a case of diabetic ketoacidosis complicated with prolonged loss of consciousness due to hypophosphatemia. A 22-year-old female with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was admitted to our department for treatment of coma on emergency. She had been on subcutaneous injection of insulin since 18 years old. In December 1995, she presented with a flu-like syndrome. She discontin-ued insulin injection voluntarily because of poor appetite. She lost her consciousness and was referred to us on emergency. She was diagnosed as diabetic ketoacidosis. In spite of recovery of hyperglucosemia with ketoacidosis, her altered consciousness persisted; subsequently, however, impaired conscious-ness was alleviated in parallel with disappearance of hypophosphatemia following administration of a phosphate preparation.
Given all this, it is thought that this is a case presenting with a complication of remarkable hypophosphatemia during a course of insulin therapy for diabetic ketoacidosis, thereby resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness.
