Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia: Effect of Epinephrine Suppression

Abstract

The inhibitory effect of epinephrine on basal and tolbutamide-stimulated insulin release was studied in 5 patients with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Epinephrine inhibited both basal and tolbutamide-induced insulin release in patients with β-cell adenoma and hyperplasia, but failed to inhibit insulin release in a patient with β-cell carcinoma. The inhibition of basal insulin with epinephrine was maximum in patients with β-cell hyperplasia. This differential inhibitory effect of epinephrine on insulin release may prove to be a useful screening test in the preoperative diagnosis of the nature of the lesion producing hyperinsulinemia.

Key words

Tolbutamide - Epinephrine - Insulin Response