Study of pancreatic endocrine function in children with thalassemia major

ABSTRACT

Serum immunoreactive insulin [IRI], GLUCAGON [IRG] and glucose were measured fasting and at 30 and 60 minutes after intravenous infusion of arginine hydrochloride [0.5 gm/kg 10% solution] in 20 thalassemic patients and 10 healthy age matched children. Hyperglucagonemia with normal circulating insulin and glucose levels, either during fasting or after arginine, were manifest in patients with thalassemia on repeated blood transfusion. A mechanism has been proposed to explain these findings: