Physiologic Response to Glucagon at Varying Insulin Levels

The Hepatic Glucose Response to Glucagon at Varying Insulin Levels: Implications for Closed Loop Glycemic Control.

The purpose of this research study is to test how different levels of insulin block the effect of glucagon. Insulin is a hormone that lowers blood glucose. Glucagon raises blood glucose. Both are natural hormones made by people without diabetes. Sensor-based blood glucose control studies have been done by our research group using glucagon in small doses to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, sometimes glucagon does not work to raise blood sugar. The investigators believe this is because of too much insulin in the body. This study will help determine how different levels of insulin in the body affect the ability of glucagon to raise blood sugar.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Glucagon; Drug: Insulin

Detailed Description

We investigators have been working on the development of a closed loop (artificial endocrine pancreas) insulin and glucagon infusion system since 2005 and are part of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Artificial Pancreas Consortium. As part of our studies, we give small doses of glucagon to prevent hypoglycemia. As we assessed the success and failure of glucagon administration during these studies, we found the use of glucagon reduced the frequency of hypoglycemia by about 75%. However, the fact that approximately 25% of administrations of glucagon are ineffective remains a concern.

The primary question to be addressed by this study is, in the setting of low dose subcutaneous glucagon administration, how do plasma glucagon and plasma insulin quantitatively interact? In other words, as the rate of insulin administration is increased, how much more glucagon is necessary to overcome the effect of insulin to prevent hypoglycemia? This study is designed to address this question. Subjects will be brought in to a Legacy Hospital for four 10 hour experiments on each of four separate days. On each study day, there will be a continuous infusion of a different rate of IV Regular insulin in order to achieve different steady state free insulin levels. At each insulin level, there will be four subcutaneous glucagon doses given. Octreotide will be infused by IV at a constant rate to suppress endogenous production of glucagon. A stable glucose isotope will also be infused to allow for measurement of hepatic glucose production and glucose turnover. Arterialized venous blood glucose will be measured by the HemoCue Glucose 201 Analyzer.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 11
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Oregon
    • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97210
      • Legacy Health System

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus for at least 1 year
• Male or female subjects 21 to 65 years of age
• Current use of an insulin pump
• Willingness to sign informed consent and HIPAA documents and follow all study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy or Lactation: For women of childbearing potential: there is a requirement for a negative urine pregnancy test and for agreement to use contraception during the study and for at least 1 month after participating in the study
• Renal insufficiency (serum creatinine of 2.0 mg/dL or greater)
• Liver abnormalities: Serum ALT or AST equal to or greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal; hepatic synthetic insufficiency as defined as a serum albumin of less than 3.3 g/dL; or serum bilirubin of over 2
• Adrenal insufficiency
• Hematocrit of less than or equal to 34%
• A history of cerebrovascular disease or coronary artery disease regardless of the time since occurrence
• Congestive heart failure, NYHA class III or IV
• Cardiac rhythm disturbance characterized by: 2nd or 3rd degree heart block, bradycardia of less than 50 bpm (exception of bradycardia in an aerobic athlete), tachycardia of greater than 100 bpm, or any arrhythmia judged by the investigator to be exclusionary
• Any active infection
• Active foot ulceration
• Severe peripheral arterial disease characterized by ischemic rest pain or severe claudication
• Active alcohol abuse, substance abuse, or severe mental illness (as judged by the principal investigator)
• Active malignancy, except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers
• Major surgical operation within 30 days prior to screening
• Seizure disorder
• Any concurrent illness, other than diabetes, that is not controlled by a stable therapeutic regimen
• Chronic usage of any immunosuppressive medication
• Current administration of oral or parenteral corticosteroids
• Use of an investigational drug within 30 days prior to screening
• Bleeding disorder, treatment with warfarin, or platelet count below 50,000
• Allergy to glucagon
• Past history of pheochromocytoma or a family history of MEN 2, neurofibromatosis, or von Hippel-Lindau disease
• Insulin resistance requiring more than 200 units per day

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

6

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low, Medium and High insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin
Experimental: Low, High and Medium insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin
Experimental: Medium, Low and High insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin
Experimental: Medium, High and Low insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin
Experimental: High, Low and Medium insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin
Experimental: High, Medium and Low insulin infusion; All study subjects in this arm were randomized as follows: First study is regular insulin infused at highest level with glucagon administration. Second study is regular insulin infused at medium level with glucagon adminstration. Third study is regular insulin infused at lowest level with glucagon administration.	Drug: Glucagon; The first dose of glucagon will be delivered approximately one hour after infusion of IV insulin has started. The subsequent three doses will be delivered every two hours. The dosage will depend on the IV insulin infusion (50 units regular insulin in 499.5 mL 0.9% saline): Study 1) insulin 0.01 units/kg/hour and glucagon doses (ug): 10,25,45,70; Study 2) insulin 0.02 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 25,45,70,100; Study 3) insulin 0.04 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 45,70,100,135; Study 4) insulin 0.08 units/kg/hr and glucagon doses (ug): 70,100,135,175. Insulin levels and glucagon doses will be randomized. Glucagon will be reconstituted with 10 mL of sterile water and administered subcutaneously.; Other Names: GlucaGen; Drug: Insulin; Insulin was administered at a low, medium or high infusion rate. The intervention sequence was randomly pre-determined for all participants.; Other Names: Regular insulin

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Area Under the Curve for Glucose Above Baseline	The change in the rate of glucose appearance will be assessed by measuring the stable glucose isotope (dideuterated glucose, D2) using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry assay. The units of the area under the curve are defined as milligrams per kilogram of glucose, since the dependent variable is a rate of glucose production [mg/kg/min] measured over time [min]. The time variable therefore cancels out. Additionally, this area under the curve is being normalized per microgram of glucagon delivered.	60 minutes after each glucagon administration

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Legacy Health System
• Collaborators: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Oregon Health and Science University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: W Kenneth Ward, MD, Legacy Health System

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 29, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 30, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): December 1, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 29, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 1, 2016
• Last Verified: March 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: diabetes; glucagon; insulin; dideuterated glucose
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Hypoglycemic Agents; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Gastrointestinal Agents; Hormones; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Insulin; Insulin, Globin Zinc; Glucagon
• Other Study ID Numbers: kw02