Acute Hepatitis due to Hepatic Glycogenosis After Insulin Overdose and Oral Glucose Administration in an Adolescent

Hepatic glycogenosis (HG) has been reported after intravenous (IV) dextrose administration to treat insulin overdose. We describe a case of HG in a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) due to insulin overdose treated with oral glucose administration.

An adolescent boy with T1DM on a basal bolus insulin regimen presented with abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and hypoglycemia of a few hours. His glucose was 71 mg/dL, aspartate transaminase (AST) 119 U/L, and alanine transaminase (ALT) 65 U/L. Hypoglycemia was treated with juice, and 12 hours later AST and ALT were 979 U/L and 700 U/L, respectively. Workup for infectious, autoimmune, metabolic, and toxic causes of hepatitis was negative. The transaminases improved by the next day and normalized within 3 weeks. Two weeks after discharge the patient returned with hypoglycemia, nausea, and right-sided abdominal pain of 13 hours. Hypoglycemia persisted despite multiple courses of glucose tablets and juice. Laboratory studies showed glucose of 58 mg/dL, AST of 776 U/L, ALT of 496 U/L, negative toxicology studies, and normal abdominal ultrasound. His serum insulin level was 249.7 mU/L and, C-peptide was less than 0.1 ng/mL, consistent with insulin overdose. He received IV fluids with dextrose, and insulin was held. Transaminases improved by the following day. Repeat serum insulin while on home regimen was normal.

Along with other diagnoses, HG should be considered in patients treated with insulin who present with hypoglycemia and acute hepatitis. HG can occur in cases of insulin overdose treated with repeated oral glucose administration.