[Raised plasma glucagon levels in obesity (author's transl)]

Plasma glucagon levels were measured in 129 grossly obese patients with 77 +/- 29% excess weight according to Broca. A significantly raised basal glucagon level (179 +/- 7 pg/ml) was found when compared with normal weight controls (109 +/- 7 pg/ml). Weight reduction of 9.1 +/- 3.8 kg with reduction of glucose-stimulated hyperinsulinaemia from 97 +/- 12 microU/ml to 62 +/- 6 microU/ml had no influence on hyperglucagonaemia. A subgroup of obese patients with hypertriglyceridaemia (270 +/- 24 mg/dl) and glucose intolerance had particularly high plasma glucagon levels (198 +/- 12 pg/ml). It seems that these patients have a resistance to glucagon in addition to a marked insulin resistance.