Insulin Secretion in Addison's Disease: Effect of Hydrocortisone Treatment[*]

Abstract

The effect of hydrocortisone treatment on insulin secretion after O.G.T.T., I.V.T.T. and I.V.G.T.T. in 9 patients with Addison's disease has been studied. The results showed no significant differences in fasting glycemia nor in I.R.I, levels in patients before and after hydrocortisone treatment. After hydrocortisone slightly higher glycemic levels after O.G.T.T. were obtained but still remaining within the adopted criteria of normality for this test. However, the insulinemic response after oral glucose load was significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) at 60 and 90 minutes. Also the insulinemic response induced by I.V. tolbutamide was significantly higher after hydrocortisone particularly in the very early insulin release phase (minute 1). However, hydrocortisone while slightly improving glucose peripherical uptake after I.V. glucose, did not significantly modify the insulin release pattern. The results would favour an indirect rather than a direct action of hydrocortisone on glucose induced insulin release, perhaps by amplifying the effects of the entero-insular axis.

Key words

Insulin Secretion - Hydrocortisone Treatment - Glycemia - Immunoreactive Insulin (I. R. I.) - Addison's Disease - Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (O. G. T. T.) - Intravenous Tolbutamide Test (I. V. T. T.) - Rapid Intravenous Glucose Test (I. V. G. T. T.)

1 Presented in part to the VIIIth Annual Meeting of the E.A.S.D., Madrid, September, 1972.

1 Presented in part to the VIIIth Annual Meeting of the E.A.S.D., Madrid, September, 1972.