Glucose metabolism and beta receptor function in atopic asthmatics
Karnik, A.M.; Gumaa, K.A.; Guindi, R.T.; Fenech, F.F.
Biomedicine and PharmacoTherapy 44(1): 47-52
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0753-3322 PMID: 1369692 Document Number: 349052
Severe asthma and diabetes have been reported not to co-exist in the same patient. Various studies have attributed this to the possible associations of asthma with hyperinsulinism, increased responsiveness to insulin or to beta-blockade. Previous studies have not addressed all these possible mechanisms in the same patient. In this prospective study, 7 atopic asthmatics and 7 age and sex-matched healthy controls underwent glucose, insulin and glucagon tolerance tests. The results showed no evidence of hyperinsulinism or increased responsiveness to insulin. Intravenous administration of glucagon, however, showed a lesser increase of glucose and insulin in asthmatics. Since glucagon has a .beta.-agonist effect on the liver and activates glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis via .beta.-receptor stimulation and stimulates insulin secretion by activating adenylate cyclase of pancreatic .beta.-cells through .beta.-receptors, the results of glucagon tolerance test in our study may therefore suggest the presence of partial beta-blockade in atopic asthmatics.