RESPONSE OF PANCREATIC POLYPEPTIDE TO HYPOGLYCAEMIA IN INSULIN‐DEPENDENT DIABETICS WITH AND WITHOUT RESIDUAL β‐CELL FUNCTION

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Abstract
To investigate a possible association between the β‐cells and the cells secreting pancreatic polypeptide (PP), the response of PP to insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia was investigated in seven insulin‐dependent diabetics with and seven without residual β‐cell function, all without signs of autonomic neuropathy. The mean concentrations of PP was significantly greater from 15 to 60 min after symptoms of hypoglycaemia in patients with residual β‐cell function than in patients without (P < 0·05) despite similar blood glucose concentrations in the two groups. Also the total integrated areas beneath the response curves as well as the incremental integrated areas were significantly greater in patients with β‐cell function (216 + 36 pmol/l × min and 188 ± 34 pmol/l X min, respectively) than in patients without β‐cell function (125 ± 26 pmol/1 × min and 102 ± 26 pmol/l × min) (P < 0·05 for both). The mean maximal concentrations of adrenaline (1±53 ± 0·28 ng/ml v. 1·29 ± 0·12 ng/ml) and noradrenaline (0·56 ± 0·16 ng/ml v. 0·45 ± 0·04 ng/ml) were not statistically different in the two groups. No well established explanation for an association between residual insulin secretion and capacity for PP‐response to hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetics exists.