ABSTRACT Insulin antibodies (IAs) induced by exogenous insulin rarely cause hypoglycemia. However, insulin autoantibodies (IAAs) in insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) can cause hypoglycemia. The typical manifestations of IAS are fasting or postprandial hypoglycemia, elevated insulin level, decreased C-peptide levels, and positive IAA. We report a 45-year-old male with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated with insulin analogues suffering from recurrent hypoglycemic coma and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). His symptoms were caused by exogenous insulin and were similar to IAS. A possible reason was that exogenous insulin induced IA. IA titers were 61.95% (normal: < 5%), and the concentrations of insulin and C-peptide were > 300 mU/L and < 0.02 nmol/L when hypoglycemia occurred. Based on his clinical symptoms and other examinations, he was diagnosed with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia caused by IA. His symptoms improved after changing insulin regimens from insulin lispro plus insulin detemir to recombinant human insulin (Gensulin R) and starting prednisone.

Los anticuerpos contra la insulina (AI) inducidos por la insulina exógena raramente causan hipoglucemia. No obstante, los autoanticuerpos contra la insulina (AIA) en el síndrome autoinmune de insulina (SAI) pueden causar hipoglucemia. Las manifestaciones típicas del SAI son la hipoglucemia en ayunas o posprandial, niveles elevados de insulina, la disminución del nivel de péptido C y AIA positivos. Presentamos un paciente hombre de 45 años con diabetes mellitus de tipo 1 (DMT1) tratado con análogos de insulina, que sufría comas hipoglucémicos recurrentes y cetoacidosis diabética (CAD). Sus síntomas fueron causados por la insulina exógena y fueron similares al SAI. La posible razón fue que la insulina exógena indujo AI. El título de AI era del 61,95% (Normal: < 5%), y las concentraciones de insulina y péptido C eran > 300 mU/L y < 0,02 nmol/L cuando se producía la hipoglucemia. Basados en sus síntomas clínicos y otros exámenes, se le diagnosticó hipoglucemia hiperinsulinémica causada por la AI. Sus síntomas mejoraron después de cambiar el régimen de insulina de lispro más insulina detemir a insulina humana recombinante (Gensulin R) y de empezar a tomar prednisona.

Abstract Brucellosis, a zoonosis with worldwide distribution, is a systemic infection caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Meanwhile, brucellosis often causes complications, such as osteoarticular involvement, and spondylitis is the most prevalent and important clinical form. Here, is a case of cervical brucellar spondylitis causing incomplete limb paralysis in a middle-aged male. The diagnosis was based on clinical history, and supported by Brucella serology and magnetic resonance imaging. Quadruple antibacterial treatment continued for four weeks. In this case, the epidural abscess causing spinal cord compression resolved without surgery. In addition, the patient had recovered from most of the neurologic deficits.

Intravesical chemotherapy is an important part of the treatment for superficial bladder cancer. However, the response to it is limited and its side effects are extensive. Functional single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) have shown promise for tumor-targeted accumulation and low toxicity. In the present study, we performed in vivo and in vitro investigations to determine whether SWNT-based drug delivery could induce high tumor depression in rat bladder cancer and could decrease the side effects of pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin, THP). We modified SWNT with phospholipid-branched polyethylene glycol and constructed an SWNT-THP conjugate via a cleavable ester bond. The cytotoxicity of SWNT-THP against the human bladder cancer cell line BIU-87 was evaluated in vitro. Rat bladder cancer in situ models constructed by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea intravesical installation (1 g/L, 2 mg/rat once every 2 weeks for 8 weeks) were used for in vivo evaluation of the cytotoxicity of SWNT and SWNT-THP. Specific side effects in the THP group including urinary frequency (N = 12), macroscopic hematuria (N = 1), and vomiting (N = 7) were identified; however, no side effects were observed with SWNT-THP treatment. Flow cytometry was used to assess the cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that SWNT alone did not yield significant tumor depression compared to saline (1.74 ± 0.56 and 1.23 ± 0.42%) in vitro. SWNT-THP exhibited higher tumor depression than THP-saline in vitro (74.35 ± 2.56 and 51.24 ± 1.45%) and in vivo (52.46 ± 2.41 and 96.85 ± 0.85%). The present findings indicate that SWNT delivery of THP for the treatment of bladder cancer leads to minimal side effects without loss of therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this nanotechnology may play a crucial role in the improvement of intravesical treatment of bladder cancer.