Subcutaneous blood flow during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia: studies in juvenile diabetics with and without autonomic neuropathy and in normal subjects

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Abstract
Summary. Subcutaneous blood flow was measured preceding insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia, at the onset of hypoglycaemic symptoms and 2 h later in juvenile diabetics with and without autonomic neuropathy and in normal males. In all groups subcutaneous blood flow decreased at the onset of hypoglycaemic symptoms compared with pre‐hypoglycaemic flow. Two hours after onset of hypoglycaemic symptoms, subcutaneous blood flow was still significantly decreased compared with pre‐hypoglycaemic flow. In normal subjects local nerve blockade had no effect on blood flow changes during hypoglycaemia, whereas local alpha‐receptor blockade abolished the vasoconstrictor response. We suggest that circulating catecholamines stimulating vascular alpha‐receptors are probably responsible for flow reduction in the subcutaneous tissue during hypoglycaemia.