Cellular Ca2+ ATPase activity in diabetes mellitus.

Basal and maximal Ca2+ ATPase activity was studied in erythrocytes of 29 healthy controls, 15 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 22 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Basal and maximal Ca2+ ATPase activity was significantly decreased in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (8.4 +/- 0.5 and 22.5 +/- 1.1 pmol/10(6) RBC/min) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (7.3 +/- 1.0 and 18.6 +/- 1.8 pmol/10(6) RBC/min) compared to healthy controls (9.3 +/- 1.0 and 24.6 +/- 1.1 pmol/10(6) RBC/min). Maximal Ca2+ ATPase activity showed a significant correlation to systolic blood pressure in both insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. There was no significant correlation of maximal Ca2+ ATPase activity to fasting serum glucose concentration and to HbA1 levels. Maximal Ca2+ ATPase activity was significantly correlated to creatinine clearance in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, but not in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It is concluded that a decreased cellular Ca2+ ATPase activity may predispose to the development of hypertension in diabetes mellitus.

Circadian blood pressure rhythms in elderly hypertensive patients.

Blood pressure was recorded for 24 h in 121 essential hypertensive patients aged between 20 and 90 years. To characterize the circadian blood pressure rhythm, the differences between the daytime blood pressures (recorded at 8-min intervals between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.) and the night-time blood pressures (recorded at 30-min intervals between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.) were calculated. The difference between daytime and night-time blood pressures was significantly (P less than 0.01) decreased in elderly hypertensive patients aged between 65 and 90 years compared with in those aged 20-39 years. In patients with heart insufficiency the circadian blood pressure rhythmicity was significantly (P less than 0.05) further reduced compared with in uncomplicated hypertensives. This may be explained by increased sympathetic tonus in patients with heart insufficiency and reduced vascular compliance may be the cause of the overall reduced circadian blood pressure rhythmicity in elderly hypertensive patients.

Influence of somatostatin on carbohydrate absorption in human small intestine.

Oral carbohydrate tolerance tests with xylose, galactose and lactose were performed. After an interval of at least 24 h the same tests were repeated following an i.v. bolus and during infusion of somatostatin. Somatostatin does not influence xylose absorption. However, absorption of galactose and lactose is significantly reduced (p less than 0.01/0.008) during somatostatin infusion. On the other hand, serum levels of galactose remain unchanged despite administration of somatostatin, when galactose is given parenterally. The results support the assumption that the absorption process in small intestine is affected by somatostatin. Possible effects of somatostatin on hormones regulating the intestinal absorption and on energy-depending carrier mechanisms are discussed.

Prophylactic effect of somatostatin on stress ulcer formation in rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of somatostatin (growth-hormone release-inhibiting hormone) on ulcer formation during immobilisation stress. This was done in male Albino-rats to study the effect of somatostatin on number and size of ulcers, to calculate ulcer index, to measure pH-value of gastric juice as well as plasma levels of gastrointestinal hormones. Rats treated with somatostatin before and during stress exposition had only the third part of the ulcers compared with the untreated animals. Total ulceration area was less than the tenth of the untreated rats. Normal corticoid plasma levels during stress exposition were found in the lower range of normal values in somatostatin treated rats. Decrease of plasma gastrin during stress exposition exceeded the gastrin decrease of somatostatin treated rats. Rise of plasma glucagon was completely inhibited during somatostatin application. Results of serum glucose paralleled those seen in glucagon.

Influence of somatostatin on peripheral leucocyte count and granulation tissue in man and rats.

Subcutaneous injection of synthetic protamin-zink-somatostatin completely prevents endotoxin-induced leucocytosis in normal rats. Piromen-induced elevated stab neutrophil, neutrophil and monocyte counts remain within the normal range during somatostatin administration. There is an inhibiting effect of synthetic protamin-zink-somatostatin on the wet weights of granulation tissue of cotton pellet granulomata, too. Incorporation of 35S-sulfate in sulfated mucopolysaccharides of granulation tissue in cotton pellet granulomata is not inhibited. Intravenous administration of synthetic linear somatostatin decreases stab neutrophil and neutrophil blood count in patients with acute bacterial leucocytosis. After the termination of somatostatin infusion a rebound phenomenon occurs. In healthy subjects lymphocyte count increases during somatostatin infusion. This effect can not be demonstrated in patients with bacterial leucocytosis.

[Age dependence of carbohydrate tolerance and insulin secretion (author's transl)]. / Zur Altersabhängigkeit von Kohlenhydrattoleranz und Insulinsekretion.

In 81 healthy male volunteers with normal blood pressure, normal body weight of different age (18-58 years) an intravenous glucose tolerance test with determination of blood sugar and serum insulin levels was done. Furthermore triglycerids and total cholesterol serum levels were measured. The investigations have shown: 1. With increasing age - independent from relative body weight - a highly significant decrease of glucose tolerance controlled by means of k-value according to Conard is to be measured. 2. With increasing age significant decrease of insulinsecretion after intravenous application of glucose is to be measured. Basal serum insulin levels do not significant change with increasing age. 3. With increasing age significant increase of total cholesterol serum level is to be measured, whereas triglycerid serum levels do not change. 4. Because of the significant negative correlation between k-value and total cholesterol discussion is done, that disturbances in fat metabolism are able to lead to a further deteriosation of glucoseutilisation. The investigations have shown, that the diminished glucose tolerance with increasing age is mainly related to an insufficient function of the beta-cell with increasing age.

Testosterone levels and gonadotrophins in Klinefelter's patients treated with injections of mesterolone cipionate.

Hormone levels were measured in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome after treatment with 100 mg mesterolone cipionate (twice monthly). There was no difference in plasma testosterone and FSH levels in treated and untreated patients. The basal and maximum LH levels were lower, but remained raised. The urinary excretion of testosterone as measured by liquid gaschromatography was higher in treated patients after treatment was discontinued.-From these results it is concluded that in spite of reported decreases of plasma testosterone during therapy with mesterolone cipionate this drug does not lead to severe impairment of the endogenous hormone production after discontinuing treatment.

Leukocyte response to somatostatin in normals and patients with bacterial leukocytosis.

In normals and patients with acute bakterial leukocytosis synthetic somatostatin decreases cell count of stab neutrophils, neutrophils and eosinophils. After termination of somatostatin infusion a rebound phenomenon occurred. In healthy normals lymphocyte count increased during somatostatin infusion. This effect outlasts the end of infusion for more than 24 h. No significant effect could be demonstrated in patients with a bacterial leukocytosis.

[Investigations about the effect of run-training and run-stress on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion with ageing streptozotocin-diabetic rats (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen zur altersabhängigen Wirkung von Lauftraining und Laufstress auf Glucosetoleranz und Insulinsekretion bei Streptozotocin-diabetischen Ratten.

Untrained grown-up and old rats with a mild Streptozotocin-diabetes show in i.v. glucose tolerance test a pathological glucose assimilation and diminished insulin secretion in comparison to control rats of the same age after a maximal run-stress. Trained rats show a different behaviour in glucose tolerance test depending on their age and seriousness of diabetes: Glucose tolerance is improved in grown-up rats with a mild diabetes and unchanged in old rats. Six-week run-training causes a significant deterioration of glucose tolerance in rats with a medium seriously Streptozotocin-diabetes and even leads to death of old rats because of decompensated metabolism. Grown-up rats with a mild diabetes stand run-stress after run-training better than the old ones. No animal with a medium seriously diabetes survives maximal run-stress, old rats don't even survive the slowly increasing run-training. - These results confirm the dualistic effect of muscular work. Metabolism of mild diabetes becomes better through muscular exertion the one of medium diabetes gets worse. Therefore a good effect of run-training is measurable only in grown-up rats not in old ones.

Inhibition of stress ulcer formation with somatostatin in rats.

Prophylactitc effect of somatostatin (Growth hormone inhibiting hormone) on restraint stress ulcer formation was studied in rats. Rats treated with somatostatin before and during stress had only the fifth part of the ulcers of the untreated animals after 9 hours of immobilisation. Pathophysiologic mechanism for stress ulcer production is as well discussed as the prohibiting effect of somatostatin on ulcer formation. Prophylactic clinical use has to be considered.

[Effect of run-training and run-stress on glucose assimilation and insulin release in rats of different age (author's transl)]. / Tierexperimentelle Untersuchungen zur altersabhängigen Wirkung von Lauftraining und Laufstress auf Glukosetoleranz und Insulinserumspiegel

82 male rats of different age have been investigated after a definitive run-training, after a run-training with subsequent run-stress and after a run-stress without run-training. An intravenous glucose tolerance test has been done measuring glucose and insulin serum levels before and after i.v. glucose application. Data obtained in this study demonstrate that: 1. adult rats have a better glucose assimilation and higher insulin serum levels after i.v. glucose than older ones. 2. run-stress leads to a deterioration of glucose assimilation and diminution of insulin release in rats of any age. 3. run-training improves glucose tolerance and saves insulin at the same time. 4. in old rats, which have never done any training before, run-training improves glucose assimilation, too. 5. run-stress after run-training has a different effect on adult and old rats: In adult rats there is nearly no effect on glucose assimilation and insulin release in comparison to control animals, while old rats show a significant deterioration of glucose assimilation in comparison to control rats of the same age. Obviously the effect of run-training is less distinct in old rats despite of similar running work.

Effects of synthetic somatostatin on endotoxin-induced changes of growth hormone, cortisol and insulin in plasma, blood sugar and blood leukocytes in man.

In normal man synthetic somatostatin inhibits the growth hormone response to intravenous administration of endotoxin (Piromen), but exerts no influence on cortisol plasma levels. Endotoxin-induced leukocytosis in blood is significantly reduced by somatostatin. Plasma levels of insulin and the blood sugar in man receiving endotoxin are firstly reduced in a significant manner and then increasing to normal values during somatostatin infusion.