[Glucagon, growth hormone, and cortisol response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetics (IDD) without autonomic neuropathy (author's transl)].

Insulin-induced hypoglycemias are a sign of non-sufficient counterregulation, in which different contra-insulinary hormones participate. The aim of the study was to investigate, whether there exists a difference between IDD and non-diabetics regarding secretion of glucagon, cortisol, and growth hormone during an insulin-induced hypoglycemia and further on pointing out, expecially, the importance of glucagon. Insulin-induced hypoglycemias are counterregulated in non-diabetics, not in IDD. The missing glucagon secretion during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in IDD seems to be independent from an autonomic neuropathy. Only after high doses of exogenous glucagon can one see a counterregulating increase of glucose. The STH secretion is similar in non-diabetics and IDD during an insulin-induced hypoglycemia and has evidently only a secondary effect in hypoglycemic counterregulation. The STH secretion may be the expression of a diencephal-triggered stress situation. The cortisol secretion is the same in both groups. The gluconeogenetic effect of cortisol is not sufficient to accomplish a fast compensation of hypoglycemia. This does not exclude long-term effects. When inhibiting the secretion of insulin and different contra-insulinary hormones with somatostatin, one is able to demonstrate that glucagon alone is a sufficiently counterregulatory hormone in insulin-induced hypoglycemias.