T1DM remission with sitagliptin

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic disease characterized by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells in genetically susceptible subjects, which results in absolute insulin deficiency. Several agents used to reestablish immunological tolerance over the past few years have successfully prevented and even reverted T1DM in nonobese diabetic mice; however, these outcomes have not been achieved in humans.

Lima-Martinez et al. report on a case of a 19-year old male on intensive insulin treatment as he presented with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody positive and diabetic ketoacidosis. Once the ketoacidosis was controlled, an oral dose of 100 mg of sitagliptin was administered once a day. Ketoacidosis was managed by insulin and insulin daily requirement began to dwindle after one month, until its complete withdrawal 8 weeks later, when partial remission was reached. The patient remained on sitagliptin treatment alone for a year, without requiring insulin.

Read full report titled ‘One year remission of type 1 diabetes mellitus in a patient treated with sitagliptin’, in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Case Reports, Article ID: 14-0072, DOI: 10.1530/EDM-14-0072.