RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: In this study, we used a double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess the association between blood glucagon levels and indices of obesity, glycemic control and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This investigation was a cross-sectional study on inpatients with T2DM who had plasma glucagon levels measured during hospitalization. Associations of fasting glucagon levels (G0), 120-minute postbreakfast plasma glucagon (G120), fasting glucagon/C-peptide ratio (G0/CPR0) and postbreakfast glucagon/C-peptide ratio (G120/CPR120) with clinical data were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 345 patients were enrolled in the study. G0, and G120 were significantly and positively associated with serum C-peptide levels. Moreover, G0 and G120 were positively associated with waist circumference, and G0 was negatively associated with duration of diabetes mellitus. Interestingly, both G0 and G120 were negatively associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate. In addition, G120/CPR120 was positively associated with duration of diabetes mellitus and glycoalbumin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The balance between glucagon and insulin secretion is significantly associated with abdominal obesity and important for maintaining glucose homeostasis. Postprandial hyperglucagonemia could also be related to deterioration of renal function.