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Study · Non-randomized trial · n = 22 · 2022

3 results

The effect of glucagon on local subcutaneous blood flow in non-diabetic volunteers; a proof-of-concept study.

Åm MK, Munkerud EY, Berge MH, Christiansen SC, Carlsen SM

European journal of pharmacology21 May 2022Cited by 5 (Europe PMC)

PMID35609678 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175045 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-35609678
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Summary

IntroductionGlucagon and insulin are the two most important hormones in glucose metabolism and have been incorporated in the dual-hormonal artificial pancreas, a device for automated glucose regulation for people with diabetes type 1. Currently the subcutis is the preferred site of hormone delivery for insulin-only as well as dual-hormonal artificial pancreas systems. The delay in glucose-lowering effect after subcutaneous injection of insulin is substantial, in contrast to the elevation of blood glucose values after subcutaneously injected glucagon which is occurs shortly after injection. We hypothesize that this is caused by properties of glucagon and have investigated the vasodilative effect of glucagon on subcutaneous blood flow in this proof-of-concept study.MethodsTwenty-two volunteers received subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg and 0.01 mg glucagon, and saline on the abdomen. Blood flow was measured by a laser doppler blood flowmeter for 35 min after injections.ResultsInjection of 0.1 mg glucagon resulted in a significant increase in blood flow compared with baseline blood flow for all time intervals. Significant increase was also observed after the 0.01 mg glucagon injection, except between two- and five-min post injection. The inter-individual variance was large and a third of the subjects did not show an apparent increase in local subcutaneous blood flow after the 0.1 mg glucagon injection.ConclusionThis proof-of-concept study shows that micro-boluses of glucagon increases local subcutaneous blood flow on the abdomen of non-diabetic subjects. However, the vasodilative effect of glucagon is not observed in all subjects. The trial was not registered to protect intellectual property rights.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In non-diabetic volunteers, 0.1 mg glucagon significantly increased local subcutaneous blood flow versus baseline at all measured intervals.

    In plain wordsIn non-diabetic volunteers, glucagon increased local blood flow versus baseline at the higher dose.

    Peptide
    Glucagon
    Outcome
    IncreaseLocal subcutaneous blood flow: higher dose
    Study

    n = 22

    Comparator
    Baseline
    Outcome group
    Vascular function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.1 mg · subcutaneous · 35 min observationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Injection of 0.1 mg glucagon resulted in a significant increase in blood flow compared with baseline blood flow for all time intervals.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Twenty-two volunteers received subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg and 0.01 mg glucagon, and saline on the abdomen.
    Summary · context
    Blood flow was measured by a laser doppler blood flowmeter for 35 min after injections.
  2. 02HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In non-diabetic volunteers, 0.01 mg glucagon significantly increased local blood flow versus baseline, except between two- and five-min post injection.

    In plain wordsIn non-diabetic volunteers, lower-dose glucagon increased local blood flow versus baseline, except during one interval.

    Peptide
    Glucagon
    Outcome
    IncreaseLocal subcutaneous blood flow: lower dose
    Study

    n = 22

    Comparator
    Baseline
    Outcome group
    Vascular function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.01 mg · subcutaneous · 35 min observationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Significant increase was also observed after the 0.01 mg glucagon injection, except between two- and five-min post injection.
    3 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Injection of 0.1 mg glucagon resulted in a significant increase in blood flow compared with baseline blood flow for all time intervals.
    Summary · context
    Twenty-two volunteers received subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg and 0.01 mg glucagon, and saline on the abdomen.
    Summary · context
    Blood flow was measured by a laser doppler blood flowmeter for 35 min after injections.
  3. 03HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In non-diabetic volunteers, a third showed no apparent local blood flow increase after 0.1 mg glucagon, with large inter-individual variance.

    In plain wordsIn non-diabetic volunteers, a third showed no apparent local blood flow increase after the higher glucagon dose.

    Peptide
    Glucagon
    Outcome
    Not applicableAbsent apparent blood flow response
    Study

    n = 22

    Comparator
    Baseline
    Outcome group
    Vascular function · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    0.1 mg · subcutaneous · 35 min observationAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The inter-individual variance was large and a third of the subjects did not show an apparent increase in local subcutaneous blood flow after the 0.1 mg glucagon injection.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Twenty-two volunteers received subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg and 0.01 mg glucagon, and saline on the abdomen.
    Summary · context
    Blood flow was measured by a laser doppler blood flowmeter for 35 min after injections.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Registered trials1

Trials this study reports on, or that list this study as a reference. Registry data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

1 trial · 1 stopped early · source ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

TerminatedPhase 2NCT05960565

Glucagon Enhanced Insulin Absorption in Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

St. Olavs Hospitaln = 922 Dec 2023 to 22 Dec 2023

Type 1 Diabetes

Trial pageClinicalTrials.govUpdated 13 Jun 2025

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    28 Oct 2026, 02:03 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    27 Oct 2026, 16:35 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

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