Abstract
Hypopituitarism in infancy is associated with hypoglycemia, which has been attributed to enhanced utilization of glucose because of decreased availability of FFA and ketones. To test this hypothesis, we measured glucose kinetics in seven hypopituitary infants, using a 2-hour continuous tracing infusion of D-[6,6-H 2/2] glucose after 6-12 hour fasting. During the study blood glucose decreased from 76 ± 13 (SD) to 58 ± 13 mg/dl, the consequence of a glucose production (2.8 ± 1.2 mg/ kg−1/mn−1) decreased to 62% of normal. Plasma lactate (927 ± 771 μM) and alanine (317 ± 298 μM) were normal. FFA (760 ± 210 μM) and 3-hydroxybutyrate (369 ± 311 μM) were lower than in fasting controls.
Conclusions: (1) In infancy, pituitary hormones are necessary to maintain an adequate glucose production during fasting. (2) The decrease of glucose production in hypopituitary infants is unrelated to reduced gluco-neogenic substrates. (3) Despite decreased lipid substrates, fasted hypopituitary infants have a low level of glucose utilization.
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Bougneres, P., Lemmel, C., Ferre, P. et al. Glucose production in hypopituitary children. Pediatr Res 18, 1209 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198411000-00049