title: Abnormal pancreatic alpha-cell function in first-degree relatives of known diabetics.
abstract: A standard intravenous glucose tolerance test utilizing a 25g glucose load was administered to 15 first-degree relatives of known diabetics and 19 normal control subjects with no known diabetic relatives. Despite normal glucose tolerance, 5 of the first-degree relatives had a significantly lower release of first-phase insulin (p 0.05). In contrast to 8 normal subjects and the remaining 10 first-degree relatives the secretion of glucagon by the 5 first degree relatives with abnormally low insulin release was not suppressed by induced hyperglycaemia. These findings provide evidence of abnormal alpha-cell function in a very early stage of genetic diabetes.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon