Residual B cell function in patients with long-standing NIDDM and its relation to metabolic control and diabetic complications.
We have evaluated the residual pancreatic B cell function by glucagon load test in 28 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) of a duration of 20 years or more. The increase in serum C-peptide at 6 minutes after glucagon administration (delta C-peptide) was used as an index of residual B cell function. There was much less delta C-peptide in patients treated with insulin than in those treated with sulfonylurea (p less than 0.05), and it was significantly correlated with the body mass index (r = 0.40, p less than 0.05). Long term metabolic control assessed by the average annual mean fasting blood glucose for the observation period (mean, 21 years) was not correlated with delta C-peptide (r = -0.13). The prevalence of retinopathy which needed photocoagulation therapy and of neuropathy in patients with poor residual B cell function (delta C-peptide less than or equal to 0.3 ng/ml) was the same as that in those with good residual B cell function (delta C-peptide greater than or equal to 1.0 ng/ml). The present study shows that the residual B cell function is not correlated with long term glycemic control and the prevalence of diabetic complications in long-standing NIDDM patients.
Iwase
M
M
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Kikuchi
M
M
Nunoi
K
K
Maki
Y
Y
Wakisaka
M
M
Wada
M
M
Fujishima
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005934:Glucagon