Catamenial diabetic ketoacidosis and catamenial hyperglycemia: case report and review of the literature.

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), an acute and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus, is frequently the result of a precipitating illness or nonadherence to treatment; however, despite a thorough history, physical, radiologic, and laboratory examination, a specific cause or precipitating event cannot be identified in a significant number of cases.

Aims: To report 2 cases of recurrent DKA, and hyperglycemic crisis, associated to the menstrual cycle, and provide a review of the medical literature.

Methods: The clinic and hospital medical records of 2 subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and unexplained DKA are reviewed.