Insulin response following intravenous glucose administration in dogs with obstructive jaundice

In order to further clarify the circulating insulin kinetics in obstructive jaundice, five anesthetized dogs were given a 15-min intravenous infusion of 1 g/kg glucose before and during the first 1 to 2 weeks after a common bile duct ligation. Significantly higher blood glucose levels, a lower insulin response in femoral vein blood, and a lower initial insulin response in portal vein blood were observed following glucose administration in the animals with jaundice. The ratio of (integrated portal insulin response-integrated femoral insulin response)/(integrated portal insulin response) was significantly increased in the animals with jaundice when compared with that of the control animals. These results suggest that a low peripheral insulin response following glucose administration in obstructive jaundice is induced by an augmented insulin extraction in the liver and/or peripheral tissue as well as by an insulin hyposecretion from the pancreas.