[Intravenous glucose tolerance test and insulin and growth hormone secretion in chronic pancreatitis].

The serum content of immunoreactive insulin and growth hormone was determined during the intravenous glucose tolerance test in 104 patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis at the stage of exacerbation and of clinical remission. Reduction of glucose tolerance was more pronounced during the exacerbation of the disease than at the period of clinical remission. In comparison with the control group, insulin hypersecretion (more pronounced during the exacerbation) was revealed in these groups of patients as a whole. A reduction of the insulin/glucose ratio in the patients indicated a relative character of insulin deficiency. The maximal reduction of the insulin/glucose ratio was noted in the patients with a diabetic character of glucose tolerance. Elevation of the growth hormone basal secretion in comparison with control was revealed in the patients at the period of exacerbation.