Effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist on platelet activation during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

The role of epinephrine in platelet activation and the effect of an alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, midaglizole, during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus were examined. The action of midaglizole as a platelet alpha 2-antagonist was confirmed by in vitro studies using platelet-rich plasma and washed platelet suspension. Hypoglycaemia was induced by a bolus injection of short-acting insulin in 24 diabetic patients. They were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 12) and an alpha 2-group (n = 12), and midaglizole was administered orally 60 min before insulin injection in the latter. Blood glucose and plasma C-peptide levels were significantly decreased (p less than 0.005) by insulin injection in both groups. Counter-regulatory hormones, including epinephrine, and arginine vasopressin were similarly increased at the hypoglycaemic nadir compared with the levels at 0 min in both groups. Plasma beta-thromboglobulin was increased at the hypoglycaemic nadir (165.5 +/- 12.6 ng/ml) compared with the level at 0 min (121.0 +/- 11.5, p less than 0.005) in the control group, whereas no significant increase was demonstrated in the alpha 2-group. These results suggest that plasma epinephrine plays an important role in platelet activation during hypoglycaemia in Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and that the platelet activation is prevented by alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist.

Red-cell-volume distribution curves in diagnosis of glomerular and non-glomerular haematuria

The distribution curves of urinary red-blood-cell (RBC) size were obtained from automated blood-cell analysis in 146 patients with definite causes of haematuria. In 65 of 67 patients (97%) with haematuria and glomerulonephritis demonstrated by renal biopsy, urinary RBC had an irregular and asymmetrical distribution with RBC size showing a much smaller volume than that of venous RBC. This "glomerular" distribution contrasted with the "non-glomerular" normal distribution when the peak for RBC was at a larger volume than that for peripheral RBC. In 46 of 47 patients with haematuria who had lower urinary tract lesions other than infection, a non-glomerular distribution was obtained; 30 of these cases also showed glomerular distribution, and were classified as "mixed". All 32 patients with urinary tract infection had either a glomerular or mixed distribution, suggesting that they excreted distorted and dysmorphic urinary RBC. After excluding infections, this simple, rapid, reproducible, and non-invasive technique provides reliable information in distinguishing glomerular bleeding from other causes of haematuria.

Influence of apolipoprotein E polymorphism on plasma lipid and apolipoprotein levels, and clinical characteristics of type III hyperlipoproteinemia due to apolipoprotein E phenotype E2/2 in Japan

Apolipoprotein (apo) E phenotype was examined in 188 healthy subjects and in 447 patients seen between 1984 and 1986. The frequency of the apo E2, 3, and 4 genes in the clinically healthy subjects was 0.035 +/- 0.0288, 0.872 +/- 0.0310, and 0.093 +/- 0.0152, respectively. The frequency of the apo E3 gene was higher and that of the apo E genes 2 and 4 lower than that reported in western countries. Clinical features and apo E phenotype are presented from the 5 patients with type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) due to apo E phenotype E2/2 (E2-III); all patients in E2-III were post-menopausal women. In contrast to the clinical characteristics so far reported, no notable findings of atherosclerosis, such as coronary angiographic findings or xanthoma, were evident in any of these 5 patients. Glucose intolerance was seen in 4 of them. Four patients were normolipidemic with apo E phenotype E2/2 (E2-N). In addition, plasma lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations were determined in patients with different apo E phenotypes. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) and apo B levels were elevated in the order of E2-N, E2/3, E2/4, E3/3, E3/4 and E4/4 except for E2-III. The plasma apo E level was highest in E2-III but was not significantly different from other phenotypes. The apo B/apo E and apo C-III/apo E ratios were significantly lower in E2/2 than in other phenotypes. The TC/apo B ratio was significantly higher in E2/2 than in other phenotypes.

Hypouricemia due to subtotal defect in the urate transport

Hypouricemia due to renal tubular defects is rarely reported. We report here our observations of two such patients who cannot be classified into any of the previously reported categories of renal hypouricemia. They showed no suppression of urate clearance to creatinine clearance ratio (Cua/Ccr) following the administration of pyrazinamide, and no increase of Cua/Ccr after probenecid. It is tempting to speculate upon the subtotal defect in the urate transport as a condition explaining the above results.

Effect of dexamethasone on the synthesis and degradation of insulin receptor mRNA in cultured IM-9 cells

The effect of glucocorticoid (dexamethasone) on insulin receptor mRNA was examined in the IM-9 cell line by dot hybridization analysis using insulin receptor c-DNA probe (phINSR 13-1). Insulin receptor mRNA was found in a dose- and time-dependent manner, to increase during a 24-h culture with glucocorticoid. Although there has been some dispute about the effect of glucocorticoid on degradation of the insulin receptor itself, we have found glucocorticoid had no significant effect on the degradation rate of insulin receptor mRNA. These results suggest that glucocorticoid has the effect of increasing de novo synthesis of insulin receptor mRNA. But the molecular mechanism of glucocorticoid's effect still needs to be investigated.

Efficacy of a multiple insulin injection regimen in teenagers with insulin-dependent diabetes. Carbohydrate and lipid oxidation measured by continuous indirect calorimetry

Our study of insulin-dependent diabetic teenagers proved that a multiple insulin injection regimen (MIR) can be an acceptable and effective method of glycemic control. Further, the artificial beta cell can be used to determine insulin requirements for MIR. And finally, continuous indirect calorimetry can be used to assess metabolic control in diabetes.

Validation of closed-loop subcutaneous insulin infusion algorithm--application of subcutaneous insulin absorption kinetics

For long-term glycemic normalization with a closed-loop control system, a subcutaneous insulin infusion algorithm has been developed based on the pharmacokinetics of subcutaneously administered insulin. A 3-compartmental model was applied to mathematically express the relation between the insulin injected subcutaneously as an input and the plasma insulin response as an output. A computer simulation study using this model showed that the following insulin infusion algorithm is feasible for closed-loop glycemic control by selecting appropriate parameters (Kp/Kd/Kc = 0.0056/0.92/-0.11), IIR(t) = Kp G(t)+Kd d G(t)/dt+Kc, where IIR(t) is the subcutaneous insulin infusion rate at time t (min), G(t) is the blood glucose concentration and Kp, Kd, Kc are the constants. In 5 pancreatectomized dogs, subcutaneous insulin infusion with this algorithm made it possible to keep postprandial glycemic levels after oral glucose load (2 g/kg) at 168 +/- 14 mg/dl (mean +/- SEM) in 60 min and maintained normoglycemia from 180 to 300 min with the total amount of infused insulin being 0.14 +/- 0.019 U/kg. In 5 insulin-dependent diabetic patients, the peaks of postprandial glycemic levels after meal load (450 kcal) were controlled to 176 +/- 36 mg/dl at 90 min and were reduced to 98 +/- 13 mg/dl at 300 min with the total amount of infused insulin being 0.172 +/- 0.063 U/kg. The mean peak plasma insulin level was 49 +/- 11 microU/ml at 90 min. These results indicate the clinical controllability of postprandial glycemia with the closed-loop subcutaneous insulin infusion algorithm in diabetic patients.

Diffuse intrapulmonary hemorrhage and renal failure in adult Henoch-Schönlein purpura

A 53-year-old woman with Henoch-Schönlein purpura presented with massive intrapulmonary hemorrhage and renal failure. Renal pathology revealed diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with granular deposition of immunoglobulin on immunofluorescent staining. Therapy with oral prednisolone resulted in resolution of the pulmonary lesions and renal failure.

Hypouricemia due to increased tubular urate secretion

A 45-year-old woman had hypouricemia (serum uric acid, 1.0-2.3 mg/dl) with increased uric acid clearance (29.8 +/- 9.3 ml/min/1.73 m2). Uric acid clearance to creatinine clearance ratio (Cua/Ccr) was suppressed markedly by pyrazinamide to 2.3% and surprisingly enhanced by probenecid to 227.8%. No other renal tubular or metabolic abnormalities were detected. This previously unreported high postprobenecid Cua/Ccr suggests that markedly increased urate secretion by the renal tubule is responsible for hypouricemia in this patient.

High frequency of class 3 allele in the human insulin gene in Japanese type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with a family history of diabetes

The restriction fragment length polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of the human insulin gene was studied in 155 nonobese Japanese subjects. The subjects consisted of 36 Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with a family history of diabetes mellitus, 42 Type 2 diabetic patients without a family history of diabetes, 42 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, and 35 healthy volunteers who served as control subjects. It was demonstrated that, in Japanese healthy subjects and diabetic patients, the incidence of the insertion into 5' flanking region of the insulin gene was found to be significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than those in Caucasians and other races already investigated. Even though the class 3 gene allelic frequency in Type 2 diabetic patients without a family history of diabetes (0.060) was not higher than that in healthy subjects (0.014), in nonobese Type 2 diabetic patients with a family history of diabetes the allelic frequency of the inserted class 3 gene (0.111) was found to be significantly higher (p less than 0.02) than that in control subjects. These data suggest that the insulin gene polymorphism relates to the aetiology of diabetes mellitus.

Telemetry glucose monitoring device with needle-type glucose sensor: a useful tool for blood glucose monitoring in diabetic individuals

For continuous monitoring of glucose concentration in ambulant diabetic patients, a telemetry glucose monitoring system with a needle-type glucose sensor has been developed. The system consists of a sensor transmitter (4 X 6 X 2 cm, 50 g) that converts current signals generated in a needle-type glucose sensor to high-frequency audio signals and a receiver that continuously calculates glucose concentrations from the received audio signals. The noise range of a monitoring record with the telemetry system (0.3 +/- 0.04%, mean +/- SEM) was significantly smaller than that with a wire-connected system, the wearable artificial endocrine pancreas (2.5 +/- 0.3%). Postprandial tissue glucose concentration responded well to the plasma glucose concentration, with a time lag of 5 min. Continuous glucose monitoring of five diabetic subjects for 77 +/- 22 h revealed that a significant correlation existed between the subcutaneous tissue glucose concentration and the plasma glucose concentration measured simultaneously in each patient. These data indicate the usefulness of the telemetry glucose monitoring system in strict glycemic control of diabetic individuals.

Renal handling of urate in the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone

Three patients with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone had elevated uric acid clearances. Their uric acid clearances decreased markedly after the administration of pyrazinamide. Probenecid was given to two of them and it produced large increases in uric acid clearance. These data suggest that enhanced secretion in the renal tubules was responsible for the increased clearance of uric acid. This article provides evidence that hypouricemia in the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone is due to increased tubular urate secretion.

The mechanism of exaggerated glucagon response to arginine in diabetes mellitus

As far as exaggerated arginine-induced glucagon secretion in diabetics is concerned, the authors have shown that both the restoration of blood glucose excursions and physiological insulinemia in response to arginine, obtained from an artificial endocrine pancreas (AEP) could normalize the glucagon secretory responses in diabetes mellitus. To clarify whether or not physiological glycemic excursions and/or plasma insulin profiles contribute to the normalization of the exaggerated glucagon response in diabetes mellitus, the following 4 investigations were conducted on each of 7 non-obese, non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM), and 8 insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) subjects, with the aid of AEP. Arginine was i.v. infused into both diabetic groups (1) in a hyperglycemic state without insulin infusion, (2) in perfect glycemic control with insulin infusion by AEP, (3) in glycemic control with AEP, but with lower plasma insulin profiles (parameters of the insulin infusion algorithm were made smaller than those of (2], (4) in a state where blood glucose levels were clamped at the same levels as obtained in (1) with the aid of glucose infusion controlled by AEP, and where physiological plasma insulin profiles were mimicked by infusing insulin at the same rates used in (2) with a pre-programmable insulin infusion system. The changes in the plasma glucagon (IRG) response in each experiment were compared with those seen in healthy subjects. For both diabetic groups it was found that: in (2) perfect normalization of glucagon response was achieved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood glucose control by an artificial endocrine pancreas in a patient with phaeochromocytoma

In a patient with phaeochromocytoma who presented with unstable diabetes mellitus, an artificial endocrine pancreas was used intraoperatively. Anaesthetic agents included enflurane, nitrous oxide and oxygen. Nicardipine was used to control hypertensive episodes. The initial blood glucose concentration was 173 mg X dl-1 and it decreased to 110 mg X dl-1 in response to insulin infusion, but plasma catecholamines were markedly increased. Seventy minutes later, the glucose concentration increased progressively to 249 mg X dl-1 despite massive insulin infusion, maximally 5.64 mU X kg-1 X min-1. The blood glucose concentration reached a peak at the time of the ligation of the venous drainage from the tumour and the peak was coincident with that of plasma catecholamine levels (epinephrine: 20.8 ng X ml-1, norepinephrine 16.4 ng X ml-1). Both glucose and catecholamine concentrations decreased promptly after removal of the tumour and hypotension followed likely because of a persistent vasodilatatory effect of nicardipine. The profiles of blood glucose, insulin and glucose infusion rates provided by the artificial endocrine pancreas suggested that the insulin resistance began to be reversed shortly after removal of the phaeochromocytoma.