Response of glucagon and insulin secretion to insulin- induced hypoglycaemia in Type I diabetic patients after pancreatic transplantation

The glucagon and insulin (measured as C-peptide) secretion responses to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia were studied in 6 Type I diabetic patients after successful segmental-pancreatic and renal transplantation. At the time of the study all the patients were independent of insulin and with normal fasting blood glucose (BG) and glycosylated haemoglobin values. Insulin-induced (0.075 IU/kg i.v. insulin over 60 min) hypoglycaemia (38.8 ± 3.23 mg/dl at 60 min) was followed by a spontaneous return of BG to normal in 4 patients, while the remainder required i.v. glucose. Plasma glucagon levels rose in 5 out of 6 patients from basal values of 122.0 ± 5.7 to a peak of 188.0 ± 15.2 pg/ml (p