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. 2007 Jun;83(980):420-1.
doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2007.058321.

Screening for Addison's disease in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and recurrent hypoglycaemia

Taruna Likhari  1 , Saeed Magzoub, Melanie J Griffiths, Harit N Buch, R Gama
Affiliations

Screening for Addison's disease in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and recurrent hypoglycaemia

Taruna Likhari et al. Postgrad Med J. 2007 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Addison's disease may present with recurrent hypoglycaemia in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus. There are no data, however, on the prevalence of Addison's disease presenting with recurrent hypoglycaemia in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Three year retrospective study of diabetic patients with "unexplained" recurrent hypoglycaemia investigated with a short Synacthen test to exclude adrenocortical insufficiency.

Results: 95 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus were studied. Addison's disease was identified as the cause of recurrent hypoglycaemia in one patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Conclusion: Addison's disease is a relatively rare but remedial cause of recurrent hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. A low threshold for investigating patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and recurrent hypoglycaemia to detect Addison's disease is therefore suggested.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: none stated

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