Somatostatin effect in postprandial hypoglycemia.
The effect of the administration of oral glucose with or without a simultaneous intravenous somatostatin infusion on blood glucose, immunoreactive insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon levels in seven patients with idiopathic postprandial hypoglycemia was studied. Oral glucose alone induced an excessive insulin response and hypoglycemia, whereas a slight suppression in glucagon levels without any increase at the hypoglycemic nadir was observed. The simultaneous administration of somatostatin significantly reduced the insulin response and induced a slower rise of blood glucose; no hypoglycemia developed. Only minor variations in glucagon were observed with respect to the basal test. A rebound in insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon levels was observed at the end of the somatostatin infusion. These data show that somatostatin can suppress glucose-induced hypoglycemia in these subjects, thus suggesting that its long-acting analogues might be worth a therapeutic trial in severe idiopathic postprandial hypoglycemia.
Baschieri
L
L
Cattedra di Clinica Medica II, University of Pisa, Italy.
Antonelli
A
A
del Guerra
P
P
Fialdini
A
A
Gasperini
L
L
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005947:Glucose; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D005934:Glucagon; D005947:Glucose