Clinical significance of altered insulin sensitivity in diabetes mellitus assessed by glucose, insulin, and somatostatin infusion.

Insulin sensitivity has been determined in primary nonobese diabetics and subjects with borderline glucose intolerance by a newly devised technique using glucose, insulin, and somatostatin infusion. Insulin sensitivity for glucose utilization was decreased in both adult- and juvenile-onset diabetics. Eight out of 88 diabetics had normal insulin sensitivty and were free from microvascular complications. In lean subjects with borderline glucose intolerance, insulin sensitivity was decreased, although an overlap with normal was noted. All obese subjects with borderline glucose intolerance had reduced insulin sensitivity. An inverse relationship was observed between insulin sensitivity and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and a significant correlation was observed between FPG and steady state plasma glucose levels (SSPG; r = 0.57; P less than 0.001). Improvement of diabetic control in eight diabetics with sulfonylureas decreased SSPG in all (P less than 0.05), although normalization of SSPG was observed in only one. These results indicate that decreased sensitivity of insulin for peripheral glucose utilization may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Elevated FPG levels reflect the presence of decreased insulin sensitivity in diabetes mellitus. Although decreased sensitivity is difficult to normalize, it can be enhanced by improving the diabetic control. An effort to maintain or enhance tissue insulin sensitivity in diabetes mellitus may be more important than attempts to stimulate the deteriorating pancreatic beta-cells to secrete more insulin.