Abstract
Plasma CRH levels were measured in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) as the pituitary-adrenal abnormalities have been reported in NIDDM. They were also measured after oral administration of 75g glucose to examine whether glucose increased plasma CRH along with insulin secretion. The baseline plasma CRH was significantly lower in diabetic patients than in controls. Baseline ACTH and cortisol were significantly higher in NIDDM patients than in controls. Plasma CRH, ACTH and cortisol did not change after glucose administration in either NIDDM patients or controls. Neither plasma CRH nor ACTH showed a significant correlation with plasma glucose or insulin response in NIDDM patients. These results suggest that CRH secretion is not stimulated by glucose, that plasma ACTH and cortisol are increased in NIDDM patients and that CRH is not responsible for these increases.
