Effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine on counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Previous work has demonstrated that chronic administration of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine augments counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia in healthy humans. However, virtually no information exists regarding the effects of fluoxetine on integrated physiological counterregulatory responses during hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. Therefore, the specific aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that 6-week use of the SSRI fluoxetine would amplify autonomic nervous system (ANS) counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia in individuals with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
Eighteen type 1 diabetic patients (14 men/4 women aged 19-48 years with BMI 25 +/- 3 kg/m(2) and A1C 7.0 +/- 0.4%) participated in randomized, double-blind 2-h hyperinsulinemic (9 pmol . kg(-1) . min(-1))-hypoglycemic clamp studies before and after 6 weeks of fluoxetine administration (n = 8) or identical placebo (n = 10). Glucose kinetics was determined by 3-tritiated glucose. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was determined by microneurography.


RESULTS
Hypoglycemia (2.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/l) and insulinemia (646 +/- 52 pmol/l) were similar during all clamp studies. ANS, neuroendocrine, and metabolic counterregulatory responses remained unchanged in the placebo group. However, fluoxetine administration significantly (P < 0.05) increased key ANS (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and MSNA), metabolic (endogenous glucose production and lipolysis), and cardiovascular (systolic blood pressure) counterregulatory responses during hypoglycemia.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has demonstrated that 6-week administration of the SSRI fluoxetine can amplify ANS and metabolic counterregulatory mechanisms during moderate hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes. These data also suggest that the use of fluoxetine may be useful in increasing epinephrine responses during hypoglycemia in clinical practice.
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Vanessa J
VJ
Briscoe
Andrew C
AC
Ertl
Donna B
DB
Tate
Stephen N
SN
Davis
D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D005473:Fluoxetine; D007328:Insulin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors