Patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) have both preprandial and postprandial hyperglycemia. To determine the mechanism responsible for the postprandial hyperglycemia insulin secretion, insulin action, and the pattern of carbohydrate metabolism after glucose ingestion were assessed in patients with NIDDM and in matched nondiabetic subjects using the dual isotope and forearm catheterization techniques. Prior to meal ingestion, hepatic glucose release was increased (P < 0.001) in the diabetic patients measured using [2-3Hj or 13-3HJ glucose. After meal ingestion, patients with NIDDM had excessive rates of systemic glucose entry (1,316±56 vs. 1,018±65 mg/kg 7 h, P < 0.01), primarily owing to a failure to suppress adequately endogenous glucose release (680±50 vs. 470±32 mg/kg-7 h, P < 0.01) from its high preprandial level. Despite impaired suppression of endogenous glucose production during a hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp (P < 0.001) and decreased postprandial C-peptide response (P <0.05) in NIDDM, percent suppression of hepatic glucose release after oral glucose was comparable in the diabetic and nondiabetic subjects (45±3 vs. 39±2%). Although new glucose formation from meal-derived three-carbon precursors (53±3 vs. 40±7 mg/kg 7 h, P < 0.05) was greater in the diabetic patients, it accounted for only a minor part of this excessive postprandial hepatic glucose release. Postprandial hyperglycemia was exacerbated by the lack of an appropriate increase in glucose uptake whether measured isotopically or by forearm glucose uptake. Thus as has been proposed for fasting hyperglycemia, excessive hepatic glucose release and impaired glucose uptake are involved in the pathogenesis of postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with NIDDM.

To determine the effect of thyroid hormone excess on insulin secretion, metabolism and action in humans, we examined intravenous glucose tolerance, glucose-induced insulin secretion, insulin clearance, monocyte insulin receptor binding, and the dose-response characteristics for the effects of insulin on glucose production, uptake, oxidation, and nonoxidative disposal in 10 normal volunteers for 14 days before and after oral administration of triiodothyronine (T3) in doses that increased plasma T3 to levels observed in spontaneous thyrotoxicosis (P less than 0.001). After T3 postabsorptive plasma glucose (P less than 0.05) and insulin (P less than 0.05) both increased; intravenous glucose tolerance was unaffected, but plasma insulin responses were increased (P less than 0.01); basal glucose production, uptake, and oxidation all increased (all P less than 0.05), whereas nonoxidative glucose disposal was unaffected (P = NS); monocyte insulin receptor binding increased (P less than 0.01) due to increased receptor affinity (P less than 0.05); and receptor number was not significantly altered (P = NS). Insulin clearance was increased. Insulin-induced suppression of glucose production was impaired (Km 22 +/- 3 vs. 37 +/- 7 microU/ml, P less than 0.02); maximal insulin-induced glucose uptake (10.7 +/- 0.6 vs. 13.0 +/- 0.9 mg X kg-1 X min-1, P less than 0.001) and oxidation (3.41 +/- 0.30 vs. 5.34 +/- 0.59 mg X kg-1 X min-1, P less than 0.001) were increased without a significant change in Km. However, submaximal rates of nonoxidative glucose disposal and glucose uptake were inappropriately low for the increased insulin receptor binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Although muscle is considered to be the most important site for postprandial glucose disposal, the metabolic fate of oral glucose taken up by muscle remains unclear. We, therefore, employed the dual isotope technique (intravenous, [6-3HJ-glucose; oral, l1-'4Clglucose), indirect calorimetry, and forearm balance measurements of glucose, lactate, alanine, pyruvate, 02, and CO2 in nine normal volunteers to determine the relative importance of muscle glycogenic, glycolytic, and oxidative pathways in disposal of an oral glucose load. During the 5 h after glucose ingestion (1 g/kg), 37±3% (24.9±2.3 g) of the load was oxidized and 63±3% (42.8±2.7 g) was stored. At least 29% (19.4±1.3 g) was taken up by splanchnic tissues. Muscle took up 26% (17.9±2.9 g) of the oral glucose coincident with a 50% reduction in its oxidation of fat. 15% of the oral glucose taken up by muscle (2.5±0.9 g) was released as lactate, alanine, or pyruvate; 50% (8.9±1.4 g) was oxidized, and 35% (6.4±2.3 g) was available for storage. We conclude that muscle and splanchnic tissues take up a comparable percentage of an oral glucose load and that oxidation is the predominant fate of glucose taken up by muscle, with storage in muscle accounting for < 10% of the oral load. Thus, contrary to the prevailing view, muscle is neither the major site of storage nor the predominant site of disposal of an oral glucose load.

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A retrospective review of Mayo Clinic records through 1983 revealed 84 patients (24 male and 10 female; mean age, 41 years) with the diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar phospholipoproteinosis. The major clinical features were dyspnea, cough, fever, and chest pain. Chest roentgenograms usually showed bilateral symmetric alveolar infiltrates, but asymmetric, unilateral, and chronic patchy patterns were also noted. Diagnosis was established by thoracotomy-lung biopsy in 26 patients. Histologic analysis revealed uniform filling of the alveoli by periodic acid-Schiff-positive material and maintenance of normal alveolar architecture. Electron microscopy showed enlarged alveolar macrophages with lamellar osmiophilic inclusions, dense granules, and myeloid bodies. Of the 21 patients who underwent therapeutic bronchoalveolar lavage, 13 had no recurrence of the disease during a mean follow-up of 8.8 years. In patients who underwent pulmonary function testing both before and after lavage, significant restrictive dysfunctions present before the procedure were alleviated afterward. Three deaths occurred among the 34 patients. Pulmonary alveolar phospholipoproteinosis may result from defective clearance of phospholipids by the alveolar macrophages, excessive production of phospholipids by type II pneumocytes, or both. It is likely a nonspecific response to a variety of injuries to the alveolar macrophage or type II pneumocyte or both, including exposure to certain dusts and chemicals and occurrence of hematologic diseases or infections. The uncommon occurrence of this disorder suggests individual susceptibility.