Insulinoma as a cause of seizure-like activity and spontaneous hypoglycaemia

Abstract

A woman in her 60s presented to our hospital with recurrent episodes of confusion and double vision with spontaneous recovery to baseline within 10 min. Her initial workup was unremarkable, and she was diagnosed with complex partial seizures and commenced on levetiracetam. The following week, she re-presented with a recurrence of her symptoms, associated with spontaneous hypoglycaemia, with blood glucose levels of 1.9 mmol/L. She was found to have endogenously elevated serum insulin and C peptide levels, which were concomitantly associated with hypoglycaemia. An initial diagnosis of insulinoma was made and she was commenced on diazoxide. MRI and endoscopic ultrasound revealed 16 mm insulinoma in her uncinate process. She underwent surgical resection and remained symptom free at follow-up. This case highlights the importance of blood glucose measurements in patients presenting with neuroglycopenic symptoms and outlines the workup and management of insulinoma.

Insulinome: rare, mais inconfondable

“…Cependant, le tableau clinique, en particulier celui de la neuroglycopénie, peut être variable. Il peut aller de la confusion, des troubles de la concentration et des paresthésies jusqu'aux troubles du comportement et aux convulsions [5]. Pour cette raison, la confirmation du diagnostic d'insulinome nécessite, outre la triade de Whipple, la réalisation d'un test de tolé-rance au glucose oral (TTGO) et d'une épreuve de jeûne de 72 heures [6].Nous présentons ci-après le cas d'un jeune patient, afin de souligner la nécessité et l'utilité d'un bilan diagnostique minutieux.…”