The effect of acetylsalicylic acid on insulin response to glucose and arginine in normal man

Abstract

In 14 normal subjects, treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 3.2 g daily for 3 days) a well known inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, caused a slight but significant decrease (p<0.05) in basal plasma glucose levels; by contrast, basal insulin rose from 5±1 to 8±1 μU/ml (p<0.01) after ASA. Pretreatment with ASA augmented the early insulin response to a standard IV glucose tolerance test (25 g) in 7 normal subjects (p<0.05 at 2 min; p<0.02 at 5 min; p<0.01 at 10 min). No significant changes were detected in the rate of glucose utilization. 7 additional subjects received a standard arginine test without and with ASA pretreatment. Arginine stimulated insulin levels were increased after ASA (p<0.01 at 15 min; p<0.05 at 30 min; p<0.05 at 45 min), whereas glucose values were lower than under basal conditions at all times, with significant differences at 105 (p<0.02) and 120 (p<0.05) min. A possible role of prostaglandins upon the insulin responses to glucose and arginine is discussed.