The effect of glucagon on serum bilirubin levels.

In 20 jaundiced newborn children with mean bilirubin levels of 19.56 mg/100 ml, a single injection of glucagon was given subcutaneously, in a dosage of 80-300 micrograms/kg of body weight. The bilirubin decreased to 17.05 mg/100 ml within 3 h, and this difference was statistically highly significant (p less than or equal to 0.001). In 14 jaundiced newborn patients with mean bilirubin levels of 16.1 mg/100 ml, normal saline instead of glucagon, was injected subcutaneously (controls). The bilirubin value measured 2-3 h later remained almost the same (16.2 mg/100 ml). In 12 jaundiced newborns with mean bilirubin levels of 17.26 mg/100 ml, a single injection of glucagon was given intravenously, in a dosage of 60-100 micrograms/kg of body weight. The bilirubin decreased to 15.30 mg/100 ml within 2-3 h, and this difference was statistically highly significant (p less than or equal to 0.001). Finally, 10 jaundiced newborn children were injected systematically at 8 am and 8 pm with 300 micrograms/kg of zinc-protamine-glucagon continuously for 5 days. All these patients maintained constant bilirubin levels, and none were sent for phototherapy. In all the patients blood glucose levels were increased between 90 and 130 mg/100 ml, 30 min after glucagon injection.