The influence of effective treatment of diabetes mellitus and obesity on the plasma concentration of immunoreactive insulin

: A study was made of 16 patients with the initial mild form of diabetes mellitus in whom the immunoreactive insulin (IRI) indices in glucose loading pointed to a good reactivity of the beta-cells of the insular apparatus of the pancreas. As a result of the dietetic treatment or therapy with saccharolytic oral preparations diabetes proved to become compensated but the IRI indices were unchanged. In patients with adiposity there was seen an increase in the concentration of blood IRI and a reduction of the reaction of beta-cells to the administration of glucose. A course of treatment by dosaged starvation (a loss of weight by an average of 11.5 kg) caused no improvement in the IRI indices was less pronounced, and the treatment by diet with limited caloric value led to improvement of the IRI indices.