Blood glucose, plasma insulin and glucagon response to arginine in infants during the first month of life

Abstract

Blood glucose, plasma insulin and plasma glucagon were determined during an arginine test at 0, 30 and 60 min in 1 to 7 and 30 day infants. The results were compared with those obtained in the 2-10-year-old children. Basal levels of blood glucose increased from the 1st to the 30th day; by the 30th day they were comparable with those observed in the 2-10-year-old children. Basal levels of plasma insulin were higher in 1 day infants, lower in 7 day infants and similar to those of the 2-10-year-old children in the 30 day infants. Basal values of plasma glucagon were higher in 1 day infants than in the 2-10-year-old children; the lowest levels were found in 7 day infants. After arginine, blood glucose increased in the 2-10-year-old children, the variations were negligible in the 1 to 7 and 30 day infants. Plasma insulin increased in 2-10-year-old children, there was a slight increase in 1 and 30 day infants and a negligible one in the 7 day infants. Plasma glucagon increased in the 2-10-year old children, and was similar in 1 day infants; the increase was reduced in 30 day infants and virtually absent in 7 day infants. These results suggest that there is a transitory alpha cell insensitivity to arginine during the first week of life.

Hospital management of asthma

“…Other methods of GH stimulation are not without their drawbacks. While arginine administration does not result in hypoglycaemia-the increase in insulin release is balanced by a concomitant increase in glucagon, resulting in a net rise in plasma glucose 13 -we have encountered problems with venous occlusion caused by the viscosity of the infusion, sometimes necessitating replacement of the intravenous cannula. We have no experience of other agents, but it is well recognised that clonidine causes unpleasant symptoms such as drowsiness and hypotension which are not rapidly reversible.…”

Ontogeny of salivary peptide P-C like immunoreactivity in human pancreatic B-cells

“…al. 1964;Massi-Benedetti et al 1980) in spite of sufficient biosynthesis of insulin and an increase in the total pancreatic insulin content throughout foetal life. The immaturity of the insulin release in the foetal pancreatic B-cells may be explained by the finding that only some of the insulin immuno¬ reactive cells contained peptide P-C like immuno¬ reactivity which may play some role in insulin release as calcium-binding protein.…”