The effect of intravenous insulin infusion on kidney function in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Summary Glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, urinary excretion of -2-microglobulin and albumin, heart rate and blood pressure were studied in eight young male insulin-dependent diabetics. Measurements were performed before and during insulin infusion at 2 mU/kg/min. No patient had discernible insulin antibodies. Two studies were performed at random in each patient. In series A blood glucose concentration was allowed to decline, while in series B it was maintained at a constant level. Ten 20 min clearance periods were performed, four before and six during insulin infusion. Results are given as mean±SEM of values from the first four (control) and last four (test) clearance periods. Blood glucose declined in series A experiments from 10.8±0.8 mmol/l in the control period to 5.8±0.5 mmol/l during the test period, but remained constant during experiment B (9.8±1.1 and 9.5±1.1 mmol/l). Plasma insulin levels were comparable in the two series. Glomerular filtration rate fell from 141±7 ml/ min X 1.73m₂ to 132±7ml/min X 1.73m₂ (p< 0.01) in series A but did not change significantly during series B. Similarily renal plasma flow declined with declining glucose but remained constant when glucose was maintained at a constant level. In series A the magnitude of decrease in renal plasma flow was correlated with the magnitude of decrease in glomerular filtration rate (r=0.95, p< 0.001). -2-microglobulin excretion decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in both series (A: 89±17 to 60±13 ng/min, B: 117±46 to 62±17ng/min). Albumin excretion increased in five out of six patients with normal control values (not significant) in series A and in four out of six in series B. No significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure were observed. Thus insulin infusion reduced renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate, but this effect could be completely abolished by keeping blood glucose constant. This suggests that it is not the lack of insulin but the associated hyperglycaemia which contributes to the elevated renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate in insulin-dependent diabetics.