Serum Insulin Following Isoprenaline in Normal and Diabetic Persons

Abstract

Serum insulin and blood sugar were investigated in ten normal-weight diabetics with maturity-onset diabetes and in 12 controls before and after intravenous injection of 25 gm d-glucose without and during simultaneous infusion of isoprenaline 2 µg/min. A significant increase in serum insulin concentration was found after isoprenaline in both groups, both before and after injection of glucose. The increase in serum insulin level in the diabetics after isoprenaline was found to be normal, although the increase in insulin concentration following glucose was greatly reduced. It is concluded that in patients with maturity-onset diabetes there is presumably a defect of the glucose turnover in the B cells, whereas the process of insulin secretion itself is normal.

Key words

Maturity Onset Diabetes - Serum Insulin - Isoprenaline - Glucose Turnover