THU291 Successful Reversal Of Glucose Toxicity After DKA Precipitated By SGLT2 Inhibitor

Abstract

Abstract Disclosure: H. Abdelrahman: None. B. DeMoranville: None. Case: A 40 year old man with history of NAFLD and type 2 diabetes mellitus with HbA1c 12.2% on metformin 750 mg daily, presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with blood glucose 275 mg/dL and anion gap 24 (AG 10-12). He had been started on empagliflozin 25 mg daily four days prior as outpatient. He was treated with IV insulin and hydration per DKA protocol. Labs showed C-peptide 3.0 ng/mL (1.1-4.4 ng/mL), Anti-GAD Ab 0.01 nmol/L (<0.02 mol/L), negative anti-insulin cell Ab. He was discharged on glargine 10u qHS, lispro 2u AC plus corrective scale, and metformin 750 mg BID. On outpatient follow-up, pre-meal glucose remained under 130 mg/dL, not requiring corrective insulin. He was started on semaglutide 0.5mg weekly and insulin was discontinued. At 3 months, his HbA1c improved to 5.8%. Self-monitoring glucose levels were at goal. Discussion: This case illustrates glucotoxicity due to significant hyperglycemia causing beta-cell apoptosis and resulting in insulin deficiency. The initiation of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) when insulin deficiency and peripheral resistance are at their peak increases risk of DKA. This patient with type 2 diabetes presented with blood glucose 275 mg/dL in DKA four days after starting empagliflozin, a SGLT2i. SGLT2i increase risk of DKA due to dehydration from glucosuria, inhibiting ketone body excretion by the kidneys, causing a state of carbohydrate deficit and hypovolemia that promotes glucagon release from alpha-cells, an increased glucagon-to-insulin ratio, and thus triggers ketogenesis.1 In glucose toxicity, intra-cellular hyperglycemia-induced molecular dysfunction results in beta-cell apoptosis. Islet cells cultured in a glucotoxic environment (20 mmol/l) had suppressed insulin content, but fully reversed the intra-cellular calcium response after one week of culturing in a euglycemic environment, demonstrating recovery of the molecular steps promoting insulin release. 2 Treatment with insulin close to euglycemic goals promotes the reversal of glucose toxicity. Our patient recovered beta-cell function several weeks after the glucotoxic episode and was able to discontinue insulin therapy. With the addition of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which potentiates glucose-dependent insulin release to control post-prandial hyperglycemia, he was able to maintain euglycemia and an HbA1c 5.8%. Conclusion Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus may present in diabetic ketoacidosis due to glucose toxicity which can be reversed with short-term insulin therapy. References 1) Nasa P, et al. Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis: A missed diagnosis. World J Diabetes. 2021 May 15;12(5):514-523. 2) Tariq M, et al. Prolonged culture of human pancreatic islets under glucotoxic conditions changes their acute beta cell calcium and insulin secretion glucose response curves from sigmoid to bell-shaped. Diabetologia. 2022 Dec 2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36459178. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023