Idiopathic infantile hyperinsulinism: a case report and review of literature

ABSTRACT

We are reporting our first experience with idiopathic infantile hyperinsulinism which has also been termed nesedioblastosis. There are several causes of hyperinsulinism and hypoglycemia in neonates. It is of prime importance to diagnose hypoglycemia in newborn early to prevent hypoglycemia related brain damage. In contrast to many hyperglycemic hormones, insulin is the only major hypoglycemic hormone. Normally there is a fine control of blood glucose level which if falls below normal levels insulin secretions stops and other hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon etc. are at once poured into the blood to combat hypoglycemia and vice versa. This fine control is lost in idiopathic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of new born in which there is persistently high levels of blood insulin levels despite very low and life threatening levels of blood glucose. There are many theories of this idiopathic increase in insulin levels and so are the various models of treatment. Here we discuss our own experience with such a case