Effect of insulin treatment on circulating islet amyloid polypeptide in patients with NIDDM

The objective was to evaluate the effect of insulin treatment on circulating islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). Twelve patients with NIDDM and secondary failure were studied on oral agents and then switched to insulin treatment. Fasting and postprandial IAPP concentrations were measured on oral treatment and on insulin treatment. In 5 of the patients no postprandial concentrations were determined. In the 7 patients who were investigated both fasting and postprandially the fasting IAPP concentration was 6.5 +/- 1.2 pmol l(-1) (mean +/- SEM) during oral treatment with a rise to 13.5 +/- 3.1 90 min after breakfast (p = 0.028). On insulin treatment HbA1c decreased from 8.6 +/- 0.5 to 7.5 +/- 0.4% (p< 0.03) and plasma C-peptide concentration was significantly lowered (p< 0.01). There was a close correlation using simple regression between the per cent change of IAPP concentration and the per cent change of C-peptide concentration during this period (r = 0.88; p< 0.01). In the total patient material of 12 patients there was a significant correlation using simple regression analysis between per cent change of IAPP concentration and per cent change of C-peptide concentration using all 48 measurements available (r = 0.58: p< 0.001). These data suggest that secretion of IAPP is lowered when endogenous insulin secretion is lowered by administration of exogenous insulin in patients with NIDDM. Thus, if IAPP secretion has a pathogenetic role in the development of beta cell failure in NIDDM, insulin treatment might delay this deterioration.