[Catecholamine excretion in insulin-treated diabetic patients]. / Katecholaminausscheidung bei insulinbehandelten Diabetikern.

The urine excretion of the catecholamines adrenalin, noradrenalin and dopamine as well as the serum levels of cortisol and STH were determined with the aim to establish objective criteria for a "latent" hypoglycaemia in diabetics. The altogether 45 insulin-requiring diabetics had no hypoglycaemia (n = 28) and the decrease of blood sugar, respectively, occurred during the daytime (n = 6) or at night (n = 11). From the results no significance for the catecholamines as parameters of a hypoglycaemia that happened long ago can be derived. Deviation in the circadian rhythms of the cortisol levels in diabetics with hypoglycaemias need the securing by further investigations.