[The effect of thyroid function on the increase of plasma cyclic AMP following glucagon injection (author's transl)]

The increase in plasma cyclic adenosine-3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) was measured after intravenous injection of 1 mg of glucagon in 26 normal subjects, 36 patients with hyperthyroidism, 35 patients with hypothyroidism and 24 patients with euthyroid goitre. While patients with euthyroid goitre responded normally, the plasma cyclic AMP response in patients with hyperthyroidism was considerably increased and in those with hypothyroidism decreased. 4 patients with cirrhosis of the liver had reduced responses and 1 patient with extrahepatic obstructive jaundice an enhanced response. This test seems to be a valuable additional parameter for the description of the thyroid-dependent metabolic situation. However, because of its unspecificity it cannot replace the measurement of serum T3, T4 and thyrotropin (TSH) response to thyroliberin (TRH).