PANCREAS SIZE AND INSULIN-SECRETION - LACK OF ASSOCIATION IN NONDIABETIC SUBJECTS

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with reduced p ancreatic size. This could be caused by insulinopenia with loss of a t rophic insulin effect and/or other factors associated with a diabetic state. To investigate the role of long-term moderate insulinemia per s e, we compared the pancreatic size in healthy subjects with doc umente d low (n=5) and high (n=5) insulin secretion. Insulin responses to a g lucose clamp (11 mM) procedure were threefold higher in the high insul in responders (HIR) than low insulin responders (LIR). Age, body mass index (BMI), and blood glucose were similar between groups. Computed t omography showed no difference in total pancreatic size (total pancrea s volume 84.8+/-29.4 ml in LIR, 79.8+/-8.4 ml in HIR; NS) nor in the s ize of various parts (caput, corpus, or cauda). We conclude that moder ate hypoinsulinemia of long duration does not affect the pancreatic si ze.