Plasma insulin and C-peptide levels in cirrhotic and uremic patients.
Fifty grams of glucose were administered orally to twelve cirrhotics, twelve uremics and ten normal controls and the plasma insulin and C-peptide responses were measured and expressed as molar concentration. Glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and elevated C-peptide levels were found in cirrhotics after glucose loading and in uremics during the later part of the glucose response. The molar ratio of C-peptide to insulin was lower in cirrhotics and higher in uremics than in controls. It is suggested that insulin is mainly degraded by the liver and C-peptide by the kidneys, and that C-peptide is not affected by the liver damage but is present in raised concentration in subjects with injured kidneys. Elevated C-peptide level in cirrhotics is consistent with hyperfunction of pancreatic B-cells.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D005947:Glucose