Ketoacidosis due to Starvation

Background: Poor dietry intake, prolonged fasting, malnutrition, alcoholism, protein based diets may induce ketoacidosis without diabetes mellitus. It is called as” starvation Ketoacidosis”. Herein, we present a patient who was diagnosed as starvation Ketoacidosis.
Case Report: A 38 year female patient was admitted to our emergency department because of chest and back pain. Her ECG and chest x-ray had no abnormality. When we detailed her past medical history, we learned that she was diagnosed as anorexia nervosa. Anion gap metabolic acidosis with ketone bodies in urine was detected. Starvation ketoacidosis was considered as a diagnose for the patient. She was treated by dextroz solution for 15 hours and her acidosis was healed.
Conclusion: According to our knowledge there were few case reports about starvation ketoacidosis. Emergency physicians should be aware of the complications of starvation and also should have start the approtiate treatment immediately.