Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis is best described as DKA with what characteristic?

Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis is best described as DKA with what characteristic?

• A. Normal or near-normal blood glucose levels
• B. Hyperglycemia above 250 mg/dL
• C. Absence of ketosis
• D. Metabolic alkalosis

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that diabetic ketoacidosis can occur even when blood glucose isn’t markedly elevated. In euglycemic DKA, you still have the insulin deficiency that drives lipolysis and ketone production, leading to an anion-gap metabolic acidosis with ketonemia, but the blood glucose level remains in the normal or near-normal range—often under 250 mg/dL. That’s why the best description is normal or near-normal blood glucose levels. The other options don’t fit: marked hyperglycemia is typical for classic DKA, not euglycemic DKA; absence of ketosis would mean it isn’t DKA at all; metabolic alkalosis is the opposite of the acidosis seen in DKA.

The main idea being tested is that diabetic ketoacidosis can occur even when blood glucose isn’t markedly elevated. In euglycemic DKA, you still have the insulin deficiency that drives lipolysis and ketone production, leading to an anion-gap metabolic acidosis with ketonemia, but the blood glucose level remains in the normal or near-normal range—often under 250 mg/dL.

That’s why the best description is normal or near-normal blood glucose levels. The other options don’t fit: marked hyperglycemia is typical for classic DKA, not euglycemic DKA; absence of ketosis would mean it isn’t DKA at all; metabolic alkalosis is the opposite of the acidosis seen in DKA.