Diagnosis and Treatment > Investigation > Vitamin B12
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Search for other papers by Marcela Rodríguez Flores in
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Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Tec Salud, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
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Summary
In patients with gastric bypass (GB), high glucose variability (GV) and hypoglycemia have been demonstrated, which could impact the metabolic status and eating behavior. We describe the glucose patterns determined through continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in two patients with >5 years follow-up after GB and significant weight recovery, who reported hypoglycemic symptoms that interfered with daily activities, and their response to a nutritional and psycho-educative prescription. Case 1: A 40-year-old woman without pre-surgical type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and normal HbA1c, in whom CGM showed high GV and hypoglycemic episodes that did not correlate with the time of hypoglycemic symptoms. Her GV reduced after prescription of a diet with low glycemic index and modification of meal patterns. Case 2: A 48-year-old male with pre-surgical diagnosis of T2DM and current normal HbA1c, reported skipping meals. The CGM showed high GV, 15% of time in hypoglycemia and hyperglycemic spikes. After prescription of a low glycemic index diet, his GV increased and time in hypoglycemia decreased. Through the detailed self-monitoring needed for CGM, we discovered severe anxiety symptoms, consumption of simple carbohydrates and lack of meal structure. He was referred for more intensive psychological counseling. In conclusion, CGM can detect disorders in glucose homeostasis derived both from the mechanisms of bariatric surgery, as well as the patient’s behaviors and mental health, improving decision-making during follow-up.
Learning points:
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High glycemic variability is frequent in patients operated with gastric bypass.
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Diverse eating patterns, such as prolonged fasting and simple carbohydrate ingestion, and mental health disorders, including anxiety, can promote and be confused with worsened hypoglycemia.
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CGM requires a detailed record of food ingested that can be accompanied by associated factors (circumstances, eating patterns, emotional symptoms). This allows the detection of particular behaviors and amount of dietary simple carbohydrates to guide recommendations provided within clinical care of these patients.
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Summary
A 71-year-old woman with severe right lower leg pain, edema and erythema was presented to the Emergency Department and was found to have an extensive deep vein thrombosis (DVT) confirmed by ultrasound. She underwent an extensive evaluation due to her prior history of malignancy and new hypercoagulable state, but no evidence of recurrent disease was detected. Further investigation revealed pernicious anemia (PA), confirmed by the presence of a macrocytic anemia (MCV=115.8fL/red cell, Hgb=9.0g/dL), decreased serum B12 levels (56pg/mL), with resultant increased methylmalonic acid (5303nmol/L) and hyperhomocysteinemia (131μmol/L), the presumed etiology of the DVT. The patient also suffered from autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), and both antithyroglobulin and anti-intrinsic factor antibodies were detected. She responded briskly to anticoagulation with heparin and coumadin and treatment of PA with intramuscular vitamin B12 injections. Our case suggests that a DVT secondary to hyperhomocystenemia may represent the first sign of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome III-B (PAS III-B), defined as the coexistent autoimmune conditions AITD and PA. It is important to recognize this clinical entity, as patients may not only require acute treatment with vitamin B12 supplementation and prolonged anticoagulation, as in this patient, but may also harbor other autoimmune diseases.
Learning points
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A DVT can be the first physical manifestation of a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome.
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Hyperhomocysteinemia secondary to pernicious anemia should be considered as an etiology of an unprovoked DVT in a euthyroid patient with autoimmune thyroid disease.
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Patients with DVT secondary to hyperhomocysteinemia should undergo screening for the presence of co-existent autoimmune diseases in addition to treatment with B12 supplementation and anticoagulation to prevent recurrent thromboembolism.
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Search for other papers by Aoife Brennan in
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Search for other papers by Michael Cullen in
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Search for other papers by John Nolan in
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Summary
Bilateral lower limb paraesthesia is a common diabetic neuropathy presentation in any busy diabetic clinics. We present a case of a 28-year-old man with a long history of type 1 diabetes mellitus presented with bilateral paraesthesia of both feet and unsteady gait. The patient was able to feel a 10 g monofilament. The presence of brisk reflexes and upgoing plantars in this patient were pointers that further evaluation was warranted. Further investigations revealed diagnosis of subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord. The patient had rapid symptomatic improvement with i.m. vitamin B12 injection. The high volume of patients attending the outpatients with diabetes and paraesthesia can blind us to other possible diagnoses. This article emphasizes that peripheral neuropathy in a diabetic may be due to aetiologies other than diabetes.
Learning points
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Pernicious anaemia is known to be more common in patients with type 1 diabetes.
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Cobalamin deficiency is reversible if detected early enough and treated by B12 replacement.
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By contrast, diabetic neuropathy is generally a progressive complication of diabetes.
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Peripheral neuropathy in a diabetic may be due to aetiologies other than diabetes.
