Role of endotoxin on hypoglycaemia in acute hepatic failure. Relationship between hypoglycaemia and hepatic injury following endotoxaemia in diabetic and nondiabetic rats.

To clarify the relation of endotoxaemia to hypoglycaemia and consequent death in acute hepatic failure, the interrelationship between the degree of hepatic injury, blood glucose level and mortality following endotoxaemia were examined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic and nondiabetic rats. Endotoxin hepatotoxicity was not enhanced in diabetic state. Blood glucose level was markedly reduced after endotoxin administration in the nondiabetic rats, and the reduction of blood glucose level closely correlated with the degree of hepatic injury (serum transaminase activities), namely, the more severe the hepatic injury, the lower the blood glucose level. Hypoglycaemia due to endotoxaemia occurred also in the diabetic rats when the hepatic injury was severe, but the reduction of blood glucose level was slight when it was mild. The mortality for endotoxaemia in diabetic rats was significantly lower than that in the nondiabetic rats. These experimental data suggest that endotoxaemia may play a role in the development of hypoglycaemia in acute hepatic failure, and that the diabetic state may lower the mortality for endotoxaemia.