The role of insulin and glucagon in the plasma aminoacid imbalance of chronic hepatic encephalopathy.

Increased glucagon (IRG) levels have been documented in liver cirrhosis, particularly associated with portal-systemic shunting. In spite of increased insulin (IRI) levels, IRI/IRG are reduced. This alteration has been proposed to have a pathogenic role in plasma aminoacid imbalance which seems to account for hepatic encephalopathy. We studied IRG and IRI/IRG in 13 controls and in 3 groups of cirrhotics, divided on the basis of their mental state. Glucagon was determined by means of 30 K Unger's antibody; insulin by a double antibody technique. Results are expressed in the table as means +/- SEM. (Formula: see text)A progressive increase in IRG secretion is present in cirrhotics and correlates with the mental state; IRI/IRG is not altered in cirrhosis until neurological distrubances are present. A relative fall in IRI which can no more balance the increasing IRG values characterizes hepatic encephalopathy.