No response of pancreatic hormones to hypoglycemia in diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

The responses of pancreatic hormones (i.e. glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, and somatostatin) to insulin-induced hypoglycemia were investigated in 18 insulin-dependent diabetics without residual beta-cell function and in 6 normal subjects. Nine of the diabetics had autonomic neuropathy, and 9 had no neuropathy. After hypoglycemia, no significant increase in any of the 3 pancreatic hormones was found in the diabetics with autonomic neuropathy, whereas significant increments were found in the diabetics without neuropathy and in the normal subjects. These results suggest that autonomic nervous activity is of major importance for pancreatic hormone release during hypoglycemia in man.