Insulin-Induced Hypoglycaemia in Ugandan Patients wit h Chronic Pancreatic Disease.

Abstract

Proneness to hypoglycaemia while on insulin therapy is a well recognized characteristic of diabetes secondary to chronic pancreatic disease. The studies reported in this paper confirm suggestions from elsewhere that hypoglycaemia in this condition is ccompanied by a poor increase in growth hormone concentrations a s compare d to controls. Since plasma Cortisol concentrations in response to hypoglycaemia were not different from those in controls and insulin disappearance rates were also identical with those of controls it is likely that this HGH response is the major difference in these patients. Though this preliminary report will need confirmation by a larger series of observations the possible implications of this feature in this disease are briefly discussed.