Low response to orally administered glucose in children. The significance of the 15-minute testing period.

Abstract

In a study of 109 children from 1½ to 12 years of age by means of the oral glucose tolerance test, 28 (25.7%) demonstrated a low response to glucose. Low responders were those individuals who had a blood glucose increment of less than 40 mg/100 ml from the fasting value. All children in this investigation had negative family histories of diabetes and all were in good health at the time of testing. Samples of capillary blood were taken at fasting and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes after oral administration of glucose. These were analyzed for blood glucose and serum immunoreactive insulin. Neither normal nor low response groups revealed any significant differences in insulin output. The 15-minute testing period was of value since a significant number of children attained peak blood glucose values at this time. A low response to glucose is probably a variant of the normal.