Is adrenomedullin a causal agent in some cases of type 2 diabetes?

The study of two populations with a recent onset of type 2 diabetes showed that a subset of the patients had higher levels of adrenomedullin (AM) than the rest of the diabetics. In this subset, physiological elevations of AM might have triggered the disease in predisposed individuals. Diabetics show ed higher levels of AM than healthy controls. In addition, glycemia was mea sured in diabetic rats after injection of saline, AM, or antiAM antibody. A M elevated glycemia, whereas the antibody reduced circulating glucose to no rmal. These results suggest that manipulation of AM levels could represent a new approach in the management of diabetes for the appropriate individual s. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.