Treatment Plan for an Individual Patient With Pasireotide for Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia

Hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia as a complication of gastric bypass surgery has been reported to occur between 6 months to 8-10 years after gastric bypass surgery. Although reported as a rare complication from surgery, the incidence is likely higher due to the condition being missed in many patients or being misdiagnosed as dumping syndrome. Unlike dumping syndrome which often presents early in the post-operative course and improves with dietary modification, patients with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia have severe postprandial hypoglycemia and sometimes fasting hypoglycemia with symptoms worsening over time despite dietary modification. Calcium stimulation testing often localizes the area of the pancreas where hyperinsulinemia is occurring due to islet cell dysfunction. The pathophysiology of islet cell hypertrophy with Nesidioblastosis is poorly understood. One theory is an increase in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentration may be responsible for islet cell expansion and subsequent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, hyperinsulinemia hypoglycemia is incapacitating where patients are restricted from driving, are unable to work, and must always have someone present with glucagon due to the acute severe onset of neuroglycopenia. Surgery to resect the area of the pancreas with Nesidioblastosis has a low success rate of about 60% with many patients developing type 1 diabetes as a result of pancreatic resection. Medical treatment options include calcium channel blockers, Diazoxide, and Octreotide yet patients often fail these treatments as well. Pasireotide would likely be a better option than the current medical therapy available. With Pasireotide, the inhibition of insulin release through inhibiting the somatostatin receptors as well as possible GLP-1 inhibition causing hyperglycemia should reduce hypoglycemic episodes in these patients.