The effect of glucagon infusion on kidney function in short-term insulin-dependent juvenile diabetics

Kidney function was studied in nine, metabolically well controlled, short-term insulin-dependent male diabetics before and during glucagon infusion of 4 to 5 and 8 to 10 ng/kg/min. Glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow (steady-state infusion technique, with urinary collections, using 125I-iothalamate and 131I-iodohippurate), and urinary albumin and beta 2-microglobulin excretion rates were measured. The mean plasma glucagon concentration increased during infusion from 254 +/- 19 pg/ml to 440 +/- 31 pg/ml (low dose) and 730 +/- 52 pg/ml (high dose). Glomerular filtration rate increased in all subjects from 133 +/- 5 before the glucagon infusion to 141 +/- 4 with the low dose, and 148 +/- 7 ml/min/1.73 m2 with the high dose (p < 0.01). The increase in glomerular filtration rate correlated with the rise in plasma glucagon concentration (r = 0.67; p < 0.01). Renal plasma flow increased from 530 +/- 21 before the glucagon infusion to 555 +/- 20 with the low dose and 572 +/- 29 ml/min/1.73 m2 with the high dose (p < 0.01). Urinary beta 2-microglobulin excretion rate rose from 5.8 +/- 1.0 before infusion to 8.7 +/- 1.7 with the low dose, and 17.9 +/- 5.7 micrograms X 10(-2)/min with the high dose (p < 0.01). Urinary albumin excretion remained unchanged during the glucagon infusion. These results suggest that glucagon may contribute to the reversible elevation of glomerular filtration rate typically found in poorly regulated insulin-dependent diabetics, but not to the moderate elevation found in well controlled diabetics.