Congenital absence of pituitary gland and adrenal hypoplasia.

Before having received any insulin, the serum insulin level was abnormally low in relation to the blood glucose level (Table). At the time of diagnosis some degree of insensitivity to insulin was suggested since injection of 2 units crystalline insulin intravenously (1 0 unit/kg) caused a less than 50% decrease in blood sugar concentration after 30 minutes. The necessity for insulin treatment for only 21 days, and the improvement of the glucose tolerance test with time, could be interpreted as a maturation of insulin production by the ,-cells. Our patient appeared to have a transient inadequate secretion of insulin, and in addition perhaps some degree of insulin insensitivity.