Studies on the Abnormalities of Carbohydrate Metabolism in Liver Diseases; Plasma Insulin, C-Peptide and Glucagon Responses to Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Abstract

To study abnormal carbohydrate metabolism accompanying liver diseases, we evaluated the changes in IRI, CRP and IRG following oral gllucose tolerance test, the results obtained were as follows.
1) Liv er diseases were frequently accompanied by abnormal carbohydrate metabolism. Glucose tolerance was abnormal in 37.5% of acute hepatitis and in 86.9% of liver cirrhosis.
2) Delayed hyper-responsiveness of IRI and CRP, and hyper-responsiveness as well as decreased inhibition of IRG were observed in many patients with liver disease. These findings were especially prominant in those with liver cirrhosis, suggesting increased functional activity of A and B cells. However, patients observed for 10 years showed hypo-responsiveoess of CRP and decreased IRG, indicating hypofunction of both A and B cell.
3) Significantly positive correlation were found between IRG and each of ICG, albumin and E/T ratio in liver cirrhosis, these findings strongly suggest that dysfunction of the liver is involved in the development of hyperglucagonemia in those with liver cirrhosis.