Ketosis-Prone Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Unusual Presentation

Abstract

Ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes is a form of diabetes that usually presents with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients who are not insulin dependent. It is commonly seen in African, African American, and Hispanic populations. Although the pathogenesis is not fully understood yet, it is believed to be caused by stressinduced reversible beta-cell and alpha-cell dysfunction in the pancreas. Here, we describe the case of an 80year-old white female with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus who had unexplained DKA in the setting of a urinary tract infection. The patient's DKA resolved after administering appropriate therapy, and she did not require treatment with insulin on discharge.

Ketone Bodies in Diabetes Mellitus: Friend or Foe?

“…More specifically, a new subtype of DM has been observed characterized by DKA in patients lacking the typical phenotype of autoimmune T1DM [119]. This syndrome is characterized as "ketosis-prone DM" (KPDM) [120]. The first cases of KPDM were described in the 1960s in Africa, and generally, non-Caucasian individuals without a T1DM diagnosis are more prone to this type of DM [121].…”