The inhibitory effect of epinephrine on basal and tolbutamide-stimulated insulin release
was studied in 5 patients with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Epinephrine inhibited
both basal and tolbutamide-induced insulin release in patients with β-cell adenoma
and hyperplasia, but failed to inhibit insulin release in a patient with β-cell carcinoma.
The inhibition of basal insulin with epinephrine was maximum in patients with β-cell
hyperplasia. This differential inhibitory effect of epinephrine on insulin release
may prove to be a useful screening test in the preoperative diagnosis of the nature
of the lesion producing hyperinsulinemia.
Tolbutamide - Epinephrine - Insulin Response
