Idiopathic remitting type 1 diabetes: a case report

Abstract

AbstractWe describe a case of diabetes remission in a 17‐year‐old male initially diagnosed and treated as having type 1 diabetes, who has since stopped insulin and remained off all diabetes treatments since December 2017.This individual, a Caucasian male, presented aged 17 years with symptoms of polyuria and polydipsia in 2015. His BMI was 23kg/m2. Type 1 diabetes was diagnosed based on a formal laboratory glucose of 32.7mmol/L and an HbA1c of 86mmol/mol (10%). Blood ketones were 2.4mmol/L with a normal venous blood gas and a bicarbonate of 27nmol/L. A positive family history of type 1 diabetes in a maternal aunt was noted.The insulin requirements consistently fell from 21 months post‐diagnosis, with persistent normal range HbA1c (30mmol/mol, 4.9%). At 28 months, insulin was stopped due to increasing frequency of hypoglycaemic events. Initially, a honeymoon period was suspected; however, he has remained off all treatment, for almost five years.To our knowledge this is the first case report meeting the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic remitting diabetes first published in 2014. Further reports of individuals meeting these criteria are essential to provide information about the natural history of idiopathic remitting diabetes and answer questions about rates of relapse and possible underlying aetiology. Copyright © 2023 John Wiley & Sons.