title: [Disturbances in glycoregulation and plasma amino acids in alcoholic hepatopathies. Study using the arginine test].
abstract: In order to investigate disturbances in glycoregulation and plasma amino acids and their possible relationship in alcoholic liver diseases, plasma concentrations of insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and branched-chain (valine, leucine, isoleucine) as well as aromatic (phenylalanine, tyrosine) amino acids were measured during an arginine test (i.v infusion of arginine chloride 0.5 g/kg over 30 min) in 21 alcoholic patients: 11 with cirrhosis (group C) and 10 with steatosis (group S). Insulin responses to arginine was reduced in both groups, whereas glucagon response was increased in group C and reduced in group S. Plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids were reduced in both groups, irrespective of the degree of hyperinsulinism. Plasma concentrations of aromatic amino acids were increased only in cirrhotic patients; the increase was independent of the degree of hyperglucagonism and of the plasma insulin/glucagon molar ratio. These results suggest that disturbances of glycoregulation in plasma amino acids imbalance do not play a major role in alcoholic cirrhosis and steatosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001120:Arginine; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon; D001120:Arginine
vernacular_title: Pertubations de la glycorégulation et de l'aminogramme plasmatique au cours des hépatopathies alcooliques. Exploration par le test à l'arginine.