Fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes in Papua New Guinea

While fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) has long been recognized in neighboring Indonesia, there has been only one single case reported from Papua New Guinea. Over an eighteen month period, four new cases of FCPD were seen at this hospital, making FCPD the predominant form of diabetes seen in Papua New Guinea highlanders. Abdominal pain was prominent in only one patient. Cassava formed a small part of the diet of all patients. Control with tolbutamide alone was possible in two patients and the addition of a small dose of isophane insulin gave satisfactory control in the other two. Two patients were particularly sensitive to low doses of insulin.