Abstract
We investigated the occurrence of insulin autoimmune syndrome among hypoglycemic subjects in Japan by sending questionnaires to 2049 hospitals during the three-year period from 1979 to 1981.
We received responses from 1033 hospitals (50.4%). No cases of hypoglycemia were reported at 769 (74.4%) of these hospitals, while more than one case was reported at 264 (25.6%). The total number of hypoglycemia cases was 461.
Causes of hypoglycemia were as follows, in the order of frequency: Insulinoma (125 cases, or 27.1%), oral hypoglycemic agents (101 cases, or 21.9%), extrapancreatic neoplasms (92 cases, or 20%) and insulin autoimmune syndrome (41 cases, or 8.9%).
Of the 41 insulin autoimmune syndrome subjects, 18 were male and 23 were female. In seven cases (four males, three females) the onset occurred after the use of thiamazole and, in two (both males) after the use of mercaptopropionyl glycine.
The incidence of insulin autoimmune syndrome during the three years of our study was 32% of all insulinomas. We concluded that insulin autoimmune syndrome incidence ranked fourth as the cause of hypoglycemia in Japan, excluding hypoglycemia caused by insulin injections.
