Familial Hypoglycemia Precipitated by Amino Acids

Abstract

Mann and Magath (1) in 1922 first described the clinical symptoms associated with hypoglycemia, and in 1924 Harris (2) reviewed its relationship to hyperinsulinism. Since then, numerous articles have appeared in the literature reviewing the causes of hypoglycemia, (3-6) describing individual cases and suggesting various surgical and medical methods of management.Although spontaneous hypoglycemia is evidence of abnormal carbohydrate metabolism, this abnormality may be due to a variety of diseases.The present communication describes three cases of hypoglycemia occurring in one family, and one unrelated case, in which convulsions and profound lowering of the blood glucose were induced by the administration of proteins or amino acids.