Summary
The effect on glucose homeostasis of a transient elevation of plasma growth hormone
(GH) and cortisol was studied over 6 h in 14 male patients with insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus (IDDM) by using an i. v. somatostatin (100 μg/h) - insulin (0.4
mU/kg/min) glucose (3 mg/kg/min) - infusion test (SIGIT). GH (20 mU/kg) was given
as a 60 min i. v. infusion during the initial SIGIT period raising the plasma GH level
to about 40 jug/I, and returning to low basal within 3 h. ACTH (0.1 mg) was given
as an i. v. bolus injection at the start of the SIGIT, resulting in plasma cortisol
peak values of about 900 nmol/l within 2-3 h. GH raised blood glucose after a lag
of 4 h while ACTH alone had no effect. However, ACTH added to GH enhanced the diabetogenic
effect of GH. It is concluded that an episodic increase in circulating GH-cortisol,
resembling the responses of these hormones to an insulin-induced hypoglycemia, exerts
a diabetogenic effect in IDDM-patients not deprived of insulin. While GH is essential
in this respect the diabetogenic effect of cortisol is evident only in conjunction
with GH.
Key-Words
Diabetes Mellitus
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Counter-Regulatory Hormones
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Growth Hormone
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Cortisol
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Insulin Resistance
