Human insulin-specific immunoglobulin G antibody and hypoglycemic attacks after the injection of gold thioglucose

J Endocrinol Invest. 1992 Jan;15(1):43-7. doi: 10.1007/BF03348654.

Abstract

A 56-year-old woman with granulomas of gold thioglucose in her hips exhibited recurrent bouts of hypoglycemic attacks. The first attack occurred 2 years after the last injection of gold thioglucose, when large amounts of extractable insulin and human insulin-specific antibody were noted in her serum. Histological examination of the resected granulomas showed marked infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages containing yellowish-brown granules, which proved to be gold by electron microscopy using X-ray microanalysis. After resection of the granuloma, however, the frequency of the hypoglycemic attacks decreased remarkably as well as the levels of both extractable insulin and human insulin-specific antibody.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibody Specificity
  • Aurothioglucose / administration & dosage
  • Aurothioglucose / adverse effects*
  • Electron Probe Microanalysis
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Gold / analysis
  • Granuloma / pathology
  • Hip
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemia / blood
  • Hypoglycemia / chemically induced*
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Injections
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Lymphocytes / ultrastructure
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Macrophages / ultrastructure
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Insulin
  • Aurothioglucose
  • Gold