Summary and Conclusions
1. Diabetes mellitus complicated by Addison’s disease is a clinical rarity; Addison’s disease complicated by diabetes is even more so. Only twenty cases, including the one herein reported, are to be found in the medical literature.
2. When this combination exists, a hypersensitivity to insulin usually is found also.
3. The hypoglycemia and high glucose tolerance characteristic of Addison’s disease are probably due to some more immediate factor than a deficiency of adrenal cortical hormone.
4. Sensitivity to insulin is less pronounced when desoxycorticosterone acetate is employed in the therapy of Addison’s disease, and under the same circumstances the diabetes may be more severe.
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From the Department of Medicine, Marquette University School of Medicine and the Milwaukee County General Hospital.
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Devitt, J.S., Murphy, F.D. Diabetes mellitus complicated by Addison’s disease; case report with a review of the literature. Jour. D. D. 14, 164–165 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03001306
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03001306