Insulin secretion, clearance, and action on glucose metabolism in cirrhotic patients.

To study the mechanisms of glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinism in liver cirrhosis, we compared the plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels during a frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test (0.3 g glucose/kg BW) in nine compensated cirrhotic patients and nine healthy volunteers well matched for age, sex, and body weight. The insulin secretion rate was derived by the deconvolution of plasma C-peptide levels, insulin sensitivity was...