THE EFFECT OF PARATHYROID HORMONE ON THE INSULIN RESISTANCE IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the parathyroid hormone (PTH) level affects insulin resistance in hemodialysis patients. 28 hemodialysis patients were divided into three groups according to their PTH levels as normal, high and very high groups. Intravenous glucose tolerance test lasting 120 minutes was applied to all patients. Glucose and insulin values were determined and the total areas under the curves of glucose and insulin were calculated. We did not find a significant difference between the stimulated glucose levels of each group. But insulin responses of group with very high PTH levels were significantly higher than those of the groups with normal and high PTH levels. Although there was no difference between total areas under glucose curves of three groups, total area under insulin curve of the group with very high PTH level was higher than those of other groups. The results suggest that the moderately high PTH level in hemodialysis patients does not affect insulin resistance and insulin release from the pancreas independent of the calcium, ionized calcium and phosphate levels. In addition, we came to the conclusion that the very high PTH levels increased insulin resistance by elevating the insulin levels.