<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The association of multiple autoimmune diseases may represent the main focus of physicians treating patients with such pathology presenting no comorbidities of different etiology. However, autoimmune diseases and side effects of drugs may lead to development of silent health-threatening diseases that should be identified promptly. We present the case of an elderly, obese, Caucasian female patient suffering of autoimmune thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis, who developed arterial hypertension and insulin-treated secondary diabetes mellitus (due to long-term oral corticotherapy) with microvascular end-organ changes. Retinal imaging for capillary anomalies identified mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy with apparent diabetic macular edema and hypertensive retinopathy. Laboratory investigations looking for further vascular risk factors revealed zinc deficiency, elevated serum homocysteine levels, and constantly high C-reactive protein concentration. Attention should be payed to the proper investigation of patients with autoimmune diseases, targeting the early diagnosis of microvasculopathies due to autoimmune diseases or possible medication side effects, in order to prevent end-organ damage.</p></abstract>

The association of multiple autoimmune diseases may represent the main focus of physicians treating patients with such pathology presenting no comorbidities of different etiology. However, autoimmune diseases and side effects of drugs may lead to development of silent health-threatening diseases that should be identified promptly. We present the case of an elderly, obese, Caucasian female patient suffering of autoimmune thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis, who developed arterial hypertension and insulin-treated secondary diabetes mellitus (due to long-term oral corticotherapy) with microvascular end-organ changes. Retinal imaging for capillary anomalies identified mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy with apparent diabetic macular edema and hypertensive retinopathy. Laboratory investigations looking for further vascular risk factors revealed zinc deficiency, elevated serum homocysteine levels, and constantly high C-reactive protein concentration. Attention should be payed to the proper investigation of patients with autoimmune diseases, targeting the early diagnosis of microvasculopathies due to autoimmune diseases or possible medication side effects, in order to prevent end-organ damage.

Management of Microvascular Complications in Secondary Diabetes Associated with Autoimmune Diseases — Case Report

Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Environmental Factors

Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology

Journal of Interdisciplinary Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The association of multiple autoimmune diseases may represent the main focus of physicians treating patients with such pathology presenting no comorbidities of...

Management of Microvascular Complications in Secondary Diabetes Associated with Autoimmune Diseases — Case Report

Published Online: Nov 08, 2017

Page range: 270 - 274

Received: Aug 07, 2017

Accepted: Aug 21, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jim-2017-0071

Keywords
autoimmune disease, diabetic retinopathy, laboratory investigations, microvascular complications, secondary diabetes mellitus

© 2017 Enikő Nemes-Nagy et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Management of Microvascular Complications in Secondary Diabetes Associated with Autoimmune Diseases — Case Report

Published Online: Nov 08, 2017

Page range: 270 - 274

Received: Aug 07, 2017

Accepted: Aug 21, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jim-2017-0071

Keywordsautoimmune disease, diabetic retinopathy, laboratory investigations, microvascular complications, secondary diabetes mellitus

© 2017 Enikő Nemes-Nagy et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
autoimmune disease, diabetic retinopathy, laboratory investigations, microvascular complications, secondary diabetes mellitus