Type B Insulin Resistance in Peru

Abstract

Type B insulin resistance (IR) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of insulin receptor autoantibodies, resulting in a marked IR inducing hyperglycemia. Our first case is a 42-year-old female with a history of RA, SLE and Hashimoto-thyroiditis that presented with cachexia, acanthosis-nigricans, hirsutism, negative anti-insulin-ab and glucose level between 400 to 700 mg/dl, despite a total insulin dose of 1000 IU/day. She received pulses of cyclophosphamide along with prednisone. One year later the patient was off insulin and with HbA1c of 5.6%. The second case is a 42-year-old female patient that presented with polyuria, polydipsia, cachexia, acanthosis-nigricans, negative glutamic-acid-decarboxilase-ab and positive TPO-ab. She received IV infusion of regular insulin at a rate of 500 UI/d. Two years later she was off insulin with HbA1C of 5.6%. As summary, we reported a case of a disease remitted after receiving immunosuppressive therapy and a case of disease remitted spontaneously.

Keywords: Developing country; Immunosuppressive therapy; Insulin resistance; Latin America; Peru.