Hormonal profile after insulin-induced hypoglycemia in chronic calcific pancreatitis. Pancreatic, pituitary and adrenal responses.

The present investigation defined the pattern of pancreatic, pituitary and adrenal responses after insulin-induced hypoglycemia in chronic calcific pancreatitis (CCP) related to alcohol abuse, and assessed the role of some of these hormones in the counterregulation of blood glucose. We studied 6 Black men with recently diagnosed CCP, all showing radiological evidence of pancreatic calcification and normal glucose tolerance, as well as 7 matched nonobese male controls. After a standard iv insulin tolerance test inducing marked hypoglycemia, patients with CCP showed significantly impaired mean plasma pancreatic glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide responses compared to the controls. Mean basal plasma somatostatin levels tended to be higher in chronic pancreatitis and remained so throughout the test without altering consistently; in the controls somatostatin peaked significantly at 30 min. Concerning extrapancreatic hormonal changes, plasma growth hormone, prolactin and total catecholamines responded normally in CCP, but plasma cortisol rose to significantly higher levels than controls at 60 and 120 min after the injection of insulin. This, coupled with the brisk output of catecholamines, may have prevented the heightened sensitivity to insulin anticipated because of their hypoglucagonemia. We conclude that patients with CCP show impaired pancreatic hormone release after insulin hypoglycemia with the exception of somatostatin; there is also an excessive rise in plasma cortisol, possibly related to the long standing abuse of alcohol in the past.