A new type of hypoglycaemia in a newborn infant

Abstract

The clinical and immunological findings are described in a female newborn infant who presented with hypoglycemia associated with a high titre of an insulin-binding protein in her serum. The insulin-binding protein belonged to IgG, the light chain of which consisted solely of Kappa-type. The other properties of the insulin-binding protein were very similar to those of insulin antibodies produced by insulin injection, except for a stronger affinity to human insulin as compared with bovine insulin. The patient's mother had a similar protein in her serum despite no previous history of insulin treatment. It is assumed that the hypoglycemia of this patient might have been due to the presence of the antibody produced in her mother's body against endogenous insulin and transferred to the patient transplacentally. © 1973 Springer-Verlag.