Altered glucoregulatory hormones during acute pneumococcal sepsis in the rhesus monkey

To determine the effects of a Diplococcus pneumoniae infection upon the dynamics of glucose metabolism and the hormones responsible for its control, intravenous glucose tolerance tests, (IVGTT's) were performed in monkeys during baseline control conditions and 24 hr after initiating infection when the monkeys were febrile. Along with plasma glucose, immunoreactive insulin and glucagon concentrations were measured sequentially through each IVGTT. Furthermore, fasting concentrations of plasma amino acids, immunoreactive growth hormone and cortisol were determined. These data revealed no differences in the fasting plasma concentrations of growth hormone and glucose, or in the disappearance rates of glucose during the two IVGTT's. There was, however, a mild relative hyperinsulinemia (p<0.05) (following glucose) along with fasting hyperglucagonemia (p<0.01) during infection. Of the 21 amino acids measured, 20 were depressed during infection; only cysteine was elevated (p<0.05) in the infected monkeys. Although plasma cortisol levels were significantly (p<0.05) increased above preinfection values by the stress of infection, they remained within the control range. The hyperglucagonemia and depression of the mean insulin to glucagon molar ratio are compatible with the catabolic events occurring during a mild bacterial infection in the monkey.