SummaryHNF4A gene mutations have been reported in cases of transient and persistent hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia of infancy (HHI), particularly in families with adulthood diabetes. The case of a patient with HHI, liver impairment and renal tubulopathy due to a mutation in HNF4A is reported.Learning points:Urine specimen study in cases of HHI with diazoxide response is necessary to rule out specific metabolic conditions (l-3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency) or tubular renal involvement.Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia due to the heterozygous mutation (p.Arg63Trp, c. 187C > T) in the HNF4A gene is associated with renal tubulopathy and liver involvement.Follow-up of patients diagnosed of HHI is mandatory to detect associated conditions.
Background: GH release after stimuli classifies short children as severe idiopathic isolated GH deficiency (IIGHD), mild IIGHD, dissociated GH release (DGHR) and normal GH release (NGHR) and anthropometric birth data as adequate for gestational age (AGA) or small for gestational age (SGA). GH release after stimuli classifies AGA patients as IIGHD or as idiopathic short stature (ISS). Aim: To compare height gain induced by GH therapy (31.8 ± 3.5 µg/kg/day, 7.7 ± 1.6 years) started at prepubertal age and stopped at near adult-height age. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal multicenter study including184 short patients classified as severe IIGHD n = 25, mild IIGHD n = 75, DGHR n = 55 and NGHR n = 29; or as IIGHD n = 78, ISS n = 57 and SGA n = 49. Height gain was evaluated throughout GH therapy and at adult-height age. Results: Height-SDS gain at adult-height age was similar among severe IIGHD (1.8 ± 0.8 SDS), mild IIGHD (1.6 ± 0.6 SDS), DGHR (1.7 ± 0.7 SDS) and NGHR (1.6 ± 0.7 SDS), or among IIGHD (1.7 ± 0.7 SDS), ISS (1.7 ± 0.6 SDS) and SGA (1.6 ± 0.8 SD). Conclusion: GH-release stimuli are of little help for deciding on GH therapy in the clinical management of prepubertal children with IIGHD, ISS or SGA.
Introduction
Patients with congenital hyperinsulinism due to ABCC8 variants generally present severe hypoglycaemia and those who do not respond to medical treatment typically undergo pancreatectomy. Few data exist on the natural history of non-pancreatectomised patients.
This work aims to describe the genetic characteristics and natural history in a cohort of non-pancreatectomised patients with congenital hyperinsulinism due to variants in the ABCC8 gene.
Subjects and Methods
Ambispective study of patients with congenital hyperinsulinism with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in ABCC8 treated in the last 48 years and who were non-pancreatectomised. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) has been periodically performed in all patients since 2003. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed if hyperglycemia was detected in the CGM.
Results
Eighteen non-pancreatectomised patients with ABCC8 variants were included. Seven (38.9%) patients were heterozygous, eight (44.4%) compound heterozygous, two (11.1%) homozygous, and one patient carried two variants with incomplete familial segregation studies. Seventeen patients were followed-up and twelve (70.6%) of them evolved to spontaneous resolution (median age 6.0±4years; range:1-14). Five out of these twelve patients (41.7%) subsequently progressed to diabetes with insufficient insulin secretion. Evolution to diabetes was more frequent in patients with biallelic variants in the ABCC8 gene.
Conclusion
The high remission rate observed in our cohort makes conservative medical treatment a reliable strategy for the management of patients with congenital hyperinsulinism due to ABCC8 variants. In addition, a periodic follow-up of glucose metabolism after remission is recommended as a significant proportion of patients evolved to impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes (biphasic phenotype).
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