[Somatostatin in a case of nesidioblastosis (author's transl)]

The authors report the case of a three-month-old infant presenting with hypoglycaemia. The etiology, i.e. nesidioblastosis, was asserted by simultaneous dosage of insulin and glucose and by histologic study of the pancreas. Initial therapy was a combination of diazoxide, continuous enteral alimentation and glucose injections. It's ineffectiveness led to an operative decision and 4/5 ths of the pancreas were removed. After a transitory improvement symptoms recurred. Data provided by studies of baseline levels and response to exogenous somatostatin then allowed to determine the correct dosage for treatment with long-acting somatostatin. The authors also discuss the importance of somatostatin in pathogenesis as well as for diagnosis and therapy of nesidioblasosis.