Severe insulin resistance secondary to insulin antibodies: successful treatment with the immunosuppressant MMF

Pediatr Diabetes. 2008 Jun;9(3 Pt 1):250-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-5448.2008.00408.x.

Abstract

We have evaluated the use of the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in the treatment of severe insulin resistance caused by neutralising anti-insulin antibodies in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). A 12-yr-old boy with a 5-month history of T1DM developed severe immunological insulin resistance secondary to human insulin antibodies. Various different treatment modalities, including lispro insulin, intravenous insulin, prednisolone and immunoabsorption, were tried, all without a sustained response to treatment. Although the introduction of the immunosuppressant MMF only resulted in a small reduction in haemoglobin A1c (from 10.9 to 9.8%), it did result in a significant reduction in insulin requirements from 6000 to 250 U/d (75 to 3.1 U/kg/d), disappearance of the severe nocturnal hypoglycaemia associated with high titres of insulin antibodies and a reduction in the level of these antibodies from 34.6 to 2.7 mg/dL. MMF may be considered as a means of immunosuppression in patients with markedly raised insulin antibodies whose diabetes cannot be controlled with insulin alone.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Child
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / immunology*
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin / therapeutic use
  • Insulin Antibodies / blood*
  • Insulin Resistance / immunology*
  • Male
  • Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Mycophenolic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Insulin
  • Insulin Antibodies
  • Prednisolone
  • Mycophenolic Acid