From the Research
Meningiomas are not typically associated with hypoglycemia, and other causes should be investigated and treated accordingly. Hypoglycemia in patients with intracranial tumors is more commonly linked to insulin-secreting tumors like insulinomas or non-islet cell tumors that produce insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) 1. If a patient with a meningioma experiences hypoglycemia, other causes should be investigated, such as:
- Medications (particularly insulin or sulfonylureas)
- Critical illness
- Sepsis
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Other hormone deficiencies Management would involve treating the underlying cause of hypoglycemia rather than focusing on the meningioma itself. For acute hypoglycemia, administration of glucose (oral if the patient is conscious, or IV dextrose 25-50g if unconscious) is recommended, followed by frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels 2. If hypoglycemia persists despite addressing common causes, endocrinology consultation should be sought to evaluate for rare paraneoplastic syndromes or coincidental endocrine disorders. The relationship between meningiomas and hypoglycemia is not well-established in medical literature, and any persistent hypoglycemia in a patient with a meningioma warrants thorough investigation of alternative etiologies 3, 4.
In terms of the meningioma itself, recent studies have focused on the epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and future directions of meningiomas 3, as well as the molecular characteristics and potential therapeutic targets 2. However, these studies do not provide evidence for a direct link between meningiomas and hypoglycemia. A case report from 1995 described a patient with a meningioma who developed hypoglycemia, but this was attributed to the tumor's large size and glucose uptake rather than a direct effect of the meningioma on glucose metabolism 5.
Overall, the management of hypoglycemia in patients with meningiomas should focus on identifying and treating the underlying cause, rather than assuming a direct link between the tumor and hypoglycemia. Treatment of the underlying cause of hypoglycemia, rather than the meningioma itself, is the most effective approach to managing hypoglycemia in these patients.