Quantitative Relationship Between Plasma Concentration of Fatty Acids and Glucose in Normal and Diabetic Dogs

Abstract

Simultaneous measurements of glucose and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations were made in plasma samples from normal and diabetic dogs before and during glucose infusion at various rates. The following equation represents the relationship found in normal animals: log (NEFA) = 5.772 - 1.384 log (glucose) where the plasma concentration of fatty acids (NEFA) and of glucose are expressed in micro-equivalents per liter and milligrams per 100 ml. respectively. For untreated diabetic animals, a similar equation, but with a markedly decreased slope constant ([long dash]0.488), is found. Insulin administration at a fixed rate to the diabetic animals does not return the slope constant to its normal value. It is suggested that (a) the normal slope constant requires an increase in secretion rate of insulin which presumably occurs in the intact animal as a consequence of glucose loading, and (b) the slope constant in diabetics may represent an index of the amount of remaining islet beta cell function.