The insulin response and glucose tolerance in acute pancreatitis with reference to patients body weight.

In 32 nonobese and 8 obese patients with acute pancreatitis [AP] and 12 control subjects the insulin response to oral and intravenous glucose load was studied. It has been shown, that secretion of insulin after oral glucose was significantly impaired and delayed in nonobese patients in comparison to control. Contrary, the hyperinsulinic response was evident in obese patients. Any significant difference of insulin secretion after intravenous glucose in nonobese patients and controls were not observed. The hyperinsulinic response in 8 obese patients with AP after i.v. glucose was even more evident than after oral glucose load. In both groups of patients with AP, the coefficient of glucose utilisation was diminished. The results indicate a significant impairment of glucose-insulin interrelations during early stages of acute pancreatitis and suggest the influence of obesity on insulin response in this disease.