Lcm. Oliveira et al., BLOOD-GLUCOSE AND INSULIN-RESPONSE TO INTRAVENOUS GLUCOSE BY PATIENTSWITH CHRONIC CHAGAS-DISEASE AND ALCOHOLISM, Brazilian journal of medical and biological research, 26(11), 1993, pp. 1187-1190
Blood glucose and insulin responses to intravenous glucose 500 mg/kg i
n a group of alcoholic chagasic patients (Group I, N = 15) were assess
ed and compared to those of a group of patients with Chagas' disease w
ithout alcoholism (Group II, N = 16), a group of alcoholics without Ch
agas' disease (Group III, N = 22), and a group of non-alcoholics witho
ut Chagas' disease (Group IV, N = 15). Determinations of serum glucose
and insulin were done under fasting conditions, 5 and 10 min after th
e injection of 50% glucose. There was no difference in mean serum gluc
ose levels between groups. Mean serum insulin levels at times 5 and 10
min and for the total integrated response were lower (P<0.05) in Grou
ps I and II as compared to Group IV; at time 10 min the mean was lower
(P<0.05) in Group III as compared to Group IV. There was a nonsignifi
cant trend for a lower insulinemic response in Group I as compared to
Group II. These data suggest denervation of or injury to pancreatic B
cell by Chagas' disease.