Temporal changes in insulin sensitivity following the development of acuteliver failure secondary to acetaminophen

Insulin resistance in chronic liver disease (CLD) is well documented. This study investigated whether similar changes occur in acute liver failure (AL F). Patients with ALF (n = 10) were recruited within 72 hours of their peak prothrombin time (range 42-120 seconds). All patients were ventilated for encephalopathy (grade III-IV). Peripheral and endogenous insulin sensitivit y were assessed by a. hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (Human Actrapid 1.5 mU/min/kg) with an infusion of D-[6,6-H-2(2)] glucose. The clamp was perfo rmed on day 0 and then on day 7 and day 14. During the insulin infusion, th e mean total peripheral glucose up-take (area under the curve [AUC]) was 1, 422 (SD, 1,253), 2,244 (SD, 1,392), and 4,500 (SD, 1,120) mu mol/kg on days 0, 7, and 14, respectively. Significant changes occurred from day 0 to 14 (day 14-day 0: 3,078 [95% CI, 1,798 to 4,359]; P = .001) and day 7 to 14 (d ay 14-day 7: 2,256 [95% CI, 923 to 3,589]; P = .001). No significant differ ence in endogenous glucose production was demonstrated over time. Mean peri pheral insulin sensitivity altered over time, increasing from 0.09 (SD, 0.0 9) mu mol/kg/min/mU/L on day 0 to 0.24 (SD, 0.16) on day 7 and 0.5 (SD, 0.1 ) on day 1.4. Significant changes occurred between days 0, 7, and 14 (day 7 -day 0: 0.15 [95% CI, 0.04 to 0.26], P = .006; day 14-day 0: 0.4 [95% CI, 0 .28 to 0.5], P = .001; day 14-day 7: 0.2 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.38], P = .001). This study demonstrates that in ALF, impaired peripheral uptake of glucose occurs, peripheral insulin sensitivity being restored at 2 weeks in subjec ts who survived.