Anger state during acute insulin-induced hypoglycaemia

This study sought to examine the effects of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia o n anger state, and to describe the associations between change in anger sta te and measures of anger trait and anger expression (assessed using the Sta te-Trait Anger Expression Inventory). A hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp was used to achieve controlled euglycaemia (5.0 mmol/L) and hypoglycaemia (2.6 mmol/L) in 18 nondiabetic subjects and 30 people with insulin-dependent di abetes mellitus (IDDM). Subjects underwent both hypoglycaemic and euglycaem ic conditions, separated by 2 weeks, in a counterbalanced order. During eac h study condition subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire on anger state. Results at euglycaemia and hypoglycaemia were compared, and differen ces between the conditions were correlated with measures of anger trait and anger expression. Hypoglycaemia caused both nondiabetic and IDDM subjects to report a significant increase in feelings of anger, despite being in a n onconfrontational setting. However, there were no clear associations betwee n an individual's change in reported anger and measures of anger and measur es of anger trait and anger expression. No association was found between an individual's change in reported anger and measures of anger trait and ange r expression. No association was found between the change in anger state an d the intensity of an individual's symptomatic response to hypoglycaemia. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.