title: Plasma C-peptide response to arginine in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.
abstract: Plasma C-peptide concentrations have been determined in the basal state and in response to intravenous arginine in 10 insulin-dependent diabetics. Five patients had fasting C-peptide levels above 0.08 pmol/ml and responded to the arginine infusion with a rise in C-peptide levels of more than 0.2 pmol/ml (responsive diabetics). The remaining 5 patients had fasting C-peptide below 0.03 pmol/ml and showed no C-peptide response to arginine (nonresponsive diabetics). Fasting blood glucose and the rise in blood glucose in response to arginine were higher in non-responsive than in responsive diabetics. The magnitude of blood glucose rise in response to arginine was inversely correlated with increments in plasma C-peptide. In addition, the fasting levels of FFA and 3-hydroxybutyrate were significantly lower in C-peptide responsive than in nonresponsive patients. These data give further support to the concept that measurements of fasting plasma C-peptide permit to distinguish secretors from nonsecretors, and demonstrate that residual beta-cell function is associated with a lesser degree of aminoacid-induced hyperglycemia.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D010455:Peptides; D013006:Growth Hormone; D005934:Glucagon; D001120:Arginine