Residual pancreatic function in insulin dependent diabetics.

The relative contributions of alpha and residual beta cell function and the presence of insulin binding antibodies to indices of glucose control have been assessed in a group of 44 patients with insulin dependent disease of variable duration. Residual beta cell secretion was detected in 18 patients (40%) but no patient receiving insulin for more than five years showed evidence of residual function. Indices of glucose control were significantly better (p less than 0.001) in patients demonstrating residual secretion. In contrast, no relation was found between glucose control and either fasting of post prandial plasma glucagon concentrations. Insulin binding antibodies were detected in all but two patients but did not correlate with either daily insulin dose or glucose control. These results are consistent with the view that residual beta cell function contributes to improved glucose control in the yearly years of insulin dependency but alpha cell function and insulin antibodies do not.