Praveena Machineni

Plain English
A 75-year-old man had repeated episodes of dangerously low blood sugar that resolved with eating, and investigation found that the cause was not diabetes-related at all. A gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the abdomen was producing a protein called IGF-2 that mimics insulin and drives down blood sugar. Treatment with targeted cancer therapy eliminated the hypoglycemic episodes, illustrating that tumors can cause low blood sugar through a mechanism unrelated to the pancreas.

Plain English
This case series describes two women with a rare form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia called 11-beta hydroxylase deficiency who achieved spontaneous pregnancy despite the condition typically impairing fertility. Both cases were confirmed genetically, and one had been misdiagnosed for years as a different adrenal condition. The cases highlight that spontaneous conception is possible even in classic forms of this disorder and underscore the need for accurate genetic diagnosis and long-term reproductive counseling.

Plain English
Researchers examined whether taking a liver biopsy before recovering an organ from a brain-dead donor — a practice used to assess borderline livers — affected transplant rates and outcomes. Across 1,323 donors, biopsies were safe and actually reduced the rate of futile organ recoveries by identifying livers that would not have been usable, without reducing the overall number of transplants performed. Wider use of pre-recovery biopsy, especially in liver-only donors, could save costs and improve how organs are allocated.