Glucose metabolism in patients receiving chronic calcitonin treatment.
The effect of long term (two months) administration of synthetic salmon calcitonin (100 MRC Units per day) on plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon and growth hormone responses to iv glucose and arginine were investigated in patients with either Paget's disease of bone (n = 6) or significant osteoporosis (n = 9). Glucose tolerance did not deteriorate after treatment, despite a reduction in the early insulin response to glucose, resetting of the C-peptide response at a lower level and a reduction in glucose-mediated glucagon suppression. The rise in plasma glucose triggered by arginine was reduced after treatment despite similar hormonal environment. This seems to suggest a positive influence of calcitonin on glucose disposal. The diabetogenic action of acute calcitonin administration is not observed after prolonged administration of the hormone. However, the possibility that calcitonin may produce a diabetic state in subjects with decreased insulin reserve cannot be totally exclused.
D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005947:Glucose; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010001:Osteitis Deformans / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002116:Calcitonin; D005934:Glucagon; D001120:Arginine; D005947:Glucose