[Diagnostic importance of the glucagon tolerance test in studying the islets of Langerhans apparatus of thyrotoxicosis patients].
Comparative studies of the glucagon-, OTTG- and BTTG tolerance test were performed in 50 patients, aged 25 to 50 years, glucagon being injected after intravenous and peroral glucose loading at hyperglycemic peak height. It was detected that a single intravenous glucagon injection provokes hyperglycemia mostly in healthy subjects than in patients with thyrotoxicosis during the first 15 to 30 minutes. Stimulating effect on insulin secretion was the same. Glucagon injection does not enhance glucose-induced hyperglycemia after peroral glucose loading and intensifies insulin rise rather than separate glucagon or glucose use. Combined glucagon-glucose administration produced tension in the insular apparatus alpha-cell function, that allows one to recommend this diagnostic test for determining reserve functional possibilities of Langerhans' islets in thyrotoxicosis-suffering patients with normal glucose tolerance under clinical conditions.