Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin in glucose regulation

Abstract

Blood glucose, insulin, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin (CT) were evaluated in 8 normal children, aged 17–41 months, during an oral glucose load; in 7 normal children, aged 15–42 months, during i.v. glucose infusion; and in 6 normal children, aged 19–40 months, during glucagon administration. During the oral glucose tolerance tests the mean maximum decline of Ca (8.63%) and P (12.66%) was at 120 min, while PTH and CT significantly increased from basal values of 1.36 ng/ml ±0.21 and 97 pg/ml±14 to 2.20 ng/ml±0.22 and 140 pg/ml±13, respectively. During the i.v. glucose tolerance tests the mean maximum decline of Ca was 12.12% at 15 min, and that of P 15.2% at 30 min. PTH and CT levels rose significantly from basal values of 1.16 ng/ml±0.25 and 86 pg/ml±12 to 2.83 ng/ml ±0.51 and 133 pg/ml±13, respectively, at 45 min. During i.v. glucagon administration the mean maximum decline of Ca (9.64%) and P (12.28%) was at 30 min. PTH levels rose significantly from basal values of 1.2 ng/ml±0.22 to 2.1 ng/ml±0.32 at 45 min, while CT increased rapidly from basal levels of 90 pg/ml±14 to 127 pg/ml at 15 min. In conclusion, increases in glucose and insulin due to ingestion or infusion of glucose, or to glucagon injection, are therefore not only associated with a fall in serum Ca and P but also with rises in PTH and CT.