부산대학교 도서관

Thirty-four relatives of five hemochromatoric families were studied to determine the relationship of iron stores carbohydrate tolerance and plasma insulin levels. Diabetes mellitus occurred in high incidence (47%) in family members with normal iron stores. Within the group of relatives with iron excess the presence of diabetes did not necessarily mark those with greater iron overload, nor did its absence necessarily indicate those with slight iron excess. Depletion of iron stores of nine family members with iron overload was associated with a variable effect on glucose tolerance which remained diabetic in two and normal in two, improved in two, and worsened in three. Plasma insulin response to a glucose load did not improve after iron removal in the two relatives with iron excess in whom it was measured. Plasma insulin levels, both fasting and in response to a glucose load, were measured in 19 relatives, of whom 12 had diabetic and seven had normal glucose tolerance tests. Plasma insulin values for family members with diabetes were equal to or greater than levels found in patients with diabetes of the usual, inherited variety. Insulin values for relatives with normal glucose tolerance were similar to those of normal subjects. These results are interpreted to indicate that the diabetes mellitus of idiopathic hemochromatosis is not caused by iron excess.