Insulin sensitivity of forearm tissues in prediabetic man.

In genetic prediabetic subjects (the glucose tolerant offspring of two diabetic parents or the identical twin of a known diabetic) serum insulin concentrations after glucose administration are subnormal. Maintenance of glucose tolerance in this setting is apparently paradoxical, suggesting increased tissue insulin sensitivity. Accordingly, forearm tissue insulin sensitivity in nine genetic prediabetic males was compared with that of seven males without familial diabetes. Diabetes was excluded in all subjects by preliminary oral glucose tolerance testing. On the preliminary 3 h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) the sum of increments in blood glucose above fasting was greater in prediabetic than in control subjects. Conversely, the sum of increments in serum insulin was subnormal for the first 2 h. The insulin index (the sum of increments in insulin divided by the sum of increments in glucose) was significantly lower in prediabetics throughout the test. High physiologic levels of insulin were produced in the forearm by intrabrachial arterial insulin infusion (100 muU/kg per min for 26 min). Balances of glucose and amino acids across forearm muscle became more positive, as did balances of glucose and free fatty acids across adipose tissue plus skin. There were no differences in response between prediabetic and normal subjects.Hence, the insulin sensitivity of peripheral tissues is normal in genetic prediabetes. Increased tissue insulin sensitivity is not essential to explain coexisting euglycemia and insulinopenia in prediabetes because blood glucose values on the OGTT are, in fact, elevated although still within the range considered normal.