Hydroxychloroquine (HCQS) for glycaemic control: a remarkable turnaround in a patient with Type 2 DM

We describe a case where we effectively managed chronic, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes with hydroxychloroquine (HCQS) as an add on therapy, wherein the patient was on multiple oral hypoglycemic agents along with a combination of injectable incretin/insulin therapy prior to HCQS initiation. Six months into combination therapy with HCQS, the target HbA1c was achieved for the first time in the patient’s recent history at a much lower daily insulin dose (56% requirement drop), which has never been documented before. This combination also resulted in significant weight loss. We make a case for advocating the use of HCQS to the available routine diabetes therapeutic agents, especially if the blood sugars fail to achieve target levels in spite of being on intensive management with insulin and for the obese phenotype.