title: Effect of stress hormones on splanchnic substrate and insulin disposal after glucose ingestion in healthy humans.
abstract: To compare cortisol and epinephrine action on oral glucose tolerance, healthy humans were infused with either cortisol (0.1 mg X kg-1 X h-1), epinephrine (5.4 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1), or saline before and after a 75-g glucose load, thereby elevating the respective plasma hormone concentrations into the pathophysiologic range. In the basal state, epinephrine increased arterial concentrations of glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and free fatty acids (FFA) as well as splanchnic output of glucose and beta-hydroxybutyrate and splanchnic FFA more than cortisol. Postprandially, C-peptide release and hyperinsulinemia were blunted by epinephrine initially and increased less thereafter than during cortisol infusion. The rise in arterial glucose after glucose ingestion as calculated by the area under the curve was more marked (P less than .01) after epinephrine [( 1.90 +/- 0.08 M) 150 min] and cortisol [( 1.41 +/- 0.05 M) 150 min] than in the control study [( 1.07 +/- 0.04 M) 150 min]. In parallel, the stress hormones induced an almost identical 24 and 31% rise in mean splanchnic glucose output versus control values (normal, 44.8 +/- 2.5; cortisol, 55.3 +/- 3.3; epinephrine, 58.9 +/- 6.9 g/150 min). The associated rise in arterial concentrations and splanchnic output of insulin above control values was considerably greater during cortisol but unchanged during epinephrine exposure. Epinephrine but not cortisol induced a rise versus the control study in splanchnic uptake of lactate and FFA, as well as in pyruvate output, whereas plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate remained unchanged. The postprandial splanchnic glucose output-to-splanchnic C-peptide output ratio did not differ from normal during epinephrine but was reduced (P less than .01) during cortisol administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000090:Acetoacetates; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007328:Insulin; D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; C016635:acetoacetic acid; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D004837:Epinephrine