title: Transient suppression of pancreatic endocrine function in patients following brain death.
abstract: To investigate pancreatic endocrine function in brain-dead patients, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (i.v. GTT) was performed in 8 brain-dead subjects maintained using the combined administration of vasopressin (ADH) and catecholamines during the first 3 days following the onset of brain death. Ten healthy adults served as control subjects. Although plasma glucose concentrations markedly increased and exceeded 300 mg/dl in most subjects just after the onset of brain death, they decreased to less than 200 mg/dl in most subjects after 24 h. The early insulin release also was significantly lower in brain dead subjects compared to controls (p < 0.01). The late insulin release was not decreased compared to controls but rather increased, which was accompanied by decreased glucose disappearance rate. The early insulin release recovered rapidly during the first 3 days following brain death without significant changes in the plasma hormone concentrations such as epinephrine, human growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, cortisol, and glucagon. The early insulin release and the plasma glucose concentration just before i.v. GTT was negatively correlated (R = -0.55, p < 0.05). We suggest awaiting recovery from hyperglycemia and early insulin release provides a reasonable approach to transplantation of the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiraide
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin