PLASMA SOMATOSTATIN RESPONSE TO AN ORAL-TEST MEAL IN LIVER-TRANSPLANTPATIENTS

Ten liver transplant patients were studied in basal conditions and aft er ingestion of a standard mixed test meal. Control groups included 10 normal subjects, 10 patients with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis, and s even kidney transplant patients. Plasma somatostatin, blood glucose, a nd plasma insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon were determined before and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes after the start of the meal. In liver transplant patients, basal somatostatin and insulin levels we re significantly lower than in cirrhotics and were comparable to those recorded in controls and in kidney transplant patients. The time cour se of the somatostatin secretory response after the meal was similar i n any group, but the increase, evaluated as the incremental area above baseline, was significantly higher in liver transplant patients than in controls and cirrhotics and comparable to that recorded in kidney t ransplant patients, Insulin incremental areas were also lower than in cirrhotics and comparable to those recorded in controls and kidney tra nsplant patients. The data suggest that in liver transplant patients a n increased somatostatin response to a meal may be related to a relati ve beta-cell secretory defect, which in turn seems consequent to immun osuppressive treatment. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.