Increased splanchnic blood flow after hypoglycaemia in diabetic and normal man: evidence against glucagon as a mediator

Abstract

Superior mesenteric artery blood flow increases significantly after hypoglycaemia in healthy humans. Glucagon has vasoactive properties but its role in hypoglycaemic hyperaemia is unclear. To assess this role, we studied the superior mesenteric artery blood flow response to hypoglycaemia of patients with uncomplicated Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus of at least 10 years duration; a group known to have defective glucagon response to hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia was induced using an intravenous infusion of soluble human insulin (2.5 m-units.min-1.kg-1) discontinued at a plasma glucose of 2.5 mmol/l. Superior mesenteric artery blood flow was measured using transcutaneous duplex Doppler ultrasound. Plasma samples were assayed for glucose, insulin, glucagon, catecholamines, growth hormone and cortisol. Plasma glucose concentration fell to a nadir of 1.8 (0.3) mmol/l in patients and 1.4 (0.1) mmol/l in controls. Plasma glucagon concentration was unchanged in patients from a baseline level of 111.7 (13.1) ng/l but rose in controls from 105 (8.5) to a peak of 239 (3.1) ng/l (P<0.001). Superior mesenteric artery blood flow increased in both groups: from 385 (29) to 921 (100) ml/min (140% increase; P<0.05) in patients and from 517 (50) to 790 (67) (53% increase; P<0.001) in controls. This study shows that patients with Type 1 diabetes have a normal splanchnic vascular hyperaemic response to hypoglycaemia despite defective glucagon counter-regulation. These results support our previous work suggesting that glucagon is not a major mediator of this response; it seems likely that circulating adrenaline is the major regulatory mechanism.