Relationship between beta-cell responsiveness and fasting plasma glucose in Caucasian subjects with newly presenting Type 2 diabetes

Aims beta -cell responsiveness was related to fasting plasma glucose to gai n further understanding of pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes. Methods An insulin secretion model gave fasting beta -cell responsiveness M -0 (ability of fasting glucose to stimulate beta -cell) and postprandial be ta -cell responsiveness M-I (ability of postprandial glucose to stimulate b eta -cell) by analysing glucose and C-peptide time-concentration curves sam pled every 10-30 min over 240 min during a meal tolerance test (MTT; 75 g C HO, 500 kcal). Caucasian subjects with newly presenting Type 2 diabetes acc ording to WHO criteria (N = 83, male/female: 65 : 18, age: 54 +/- 10 years, body mass index (BMI): 30.9 +/- 5.2 kg/m(2), fasting plasma glucose (FPG): 11.0 +/- 3.2 mmol/L; mean +/- SD) and Caucasian healthy subjects (N = 54, m/f: 21 : 33, age: 48 +/- 9 years, BMI: 26.1 +/- 3.7 kg/m(2), FPG: 5.1 +/- 0.4 mmol/L) were studied. Results A continuum inverse relationship between M-I and FPG was observed. In the diabetes group, M-I was closely related to FPG (r(s) = -0.74, P < 0. 0001) and explained 60% intersubject FPG variability with the use of an exp onential regression model. Conclusions In newly presenting Type 2 diabetes in Caucasian subjects a clo se inverse association exists between postprandial beta -cell responsivenes s and FPG.