Familial Persistent Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia of Infancy and Mutations in the Sulfonylurea Receptor

Abstract

Persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy is caused by inappropriate and excessive secretion of insulin. Although the disease is rare in outbred communities (approximately 1 case per 50,000 persons), the incidence is approximately 1 per 2500 in inbred Arabic communities in which there is a familial (autosomal recessive) form of the disease. The disease most commonly presents with severe hypoglycemia a few hours after birth, although some cases present after several weeks or months. Some patients have a response to treatment with diazoxide or somatostatin, but others require partial pancreatectomy to control the hyperinsulinism.1–3 It has recently been suggested2, . . .