Studies in glucose tolerance: (1) the intravenous glucose tolerance test; (2) cortisone induced impairment of glucose tolerance in the detection of the diabetic diathesis.
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Date
1956Author
Duncan, Leslie James Park
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Abstract
1. THE INTRAVENOUS GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST
By
L. J. P. DUNCAN
REPRINTED FROM THE
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY (Vol. 41, No. 1)
1956. 2. Cortisone induced impairment of glucose tolerance in the
detection of the diabetic diathesis. By
L. J. P. DUNCAN. (i) The effect of cortisone on glucose tolerance was investigated
by the administration of 200 mg. of cortisone 120 minutes before an intravenous glucose tolerance test. The resultant increment index (I.I.) has been
compared with the control I.I. (ii) In 20 normal persons no change was observed following cortisone, (iii) In 16 mildly diabetic patients the I.I. after cortisone was lower
than the control I.I. by an average of 33 per cent. (iv) In 10 patients with latent diabetes the I.I. after cortisone
was lower than the control I.I. by an average of 35.5 per cent. (v) Nineteen persons suspected of being in a prediabetic state were
tested and in nine, cortisone induced a lowering of the I.I. by at least
30 per cent. of the control I.I. value. Of these patients two have subsequently become clinically diabetic. In no other persons tested was this
cortisone -induced impairment of glucose tolerance observed. (vi) It is suggested that the use of an intravenous technique for
the determination of glucose tolerance is the most precise measure of that
function, and that the impairment of glucose tolerance induced by preliminary
administration of cortisone makes it possible to diagnose the diabetic diathesis
before any defect in carbohydrate tolerance is demonstrable by other laboratory
tests.