Pancreas size and insulin secretion: lack of association in non-diabetic subjects

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are associated with reduced pancreatic size. This could be caused by insulinopenia with loss of a trophic insulin effect and/or other factors associated with a diabetic state. To investigate the role of long-term moderate insulinemia per se, we compared the pancreatic size in healthy subjects with documented low (n=5) and high (n=5) insulin secretion. Insulin responses to a glucose clamp (11 mM) procedure were threefold higher in the high insulin responders (HIR) than low insulin responders (LIR). Age, body mass index (BMI), and blood glucose were similar between groups. Computed tomography showed no difference in total pancreatic size (total pancreas volume 84.8±29.4 ml in LIR, 79.8±8.4 ml in HIR; NS) nor in the size of various parts (caput, corpus, or cauda). We conclude that moderate hypoinsulinemia of long duration does not affect the pancreatic size.