Glucose-induced insulin release patterns: Effect of starvation

Abstract

Continuous glucose infusions over a 60 min period were carried out in 24 human subjects. A priming dose of 0.33 gm glucose/kg was followed by a constant infusion of 20 mg glucose/kg/min. The glucose-stimulated insulin release curves were biphasic (Phase I and II) in all subjects. The diabetics, compared with normal controls, showed decreased total insulin release with a greater decrement in phase I. Starvation of normal subjects for 48 h resulted in decreased insulin release, though Phases I and II were equivalently diminished. Rats were starved for 48 h and their pancreata studied in the isolated pancreas perfusion system. Following glucose stimuli, insulin release showed a pattern similar to that of diabetics, namely, decreased total insulin and a greater decrease in phase I than II. It is postulated that this period of starvation for a small animal was far more pronounced than that in man. The altered insulin secretory pattern in prolonged starvation is an additional manifestation of "starvation diabetes" and suggests the possibility of similar defects in starvation and diabetes. © 1974 Springer-Verlag.