‘Spontaneous’ Variability of Oral Glucose Tolerance

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Abstract
The oral glucose tolerance test was investigated as a possible diagnostic method for endocrinopathic conditions. Repetitions of the procedure showed marked inconsistency in the curves. A review of the literature revealed that there had been few investigations of the consistency of this test in normal subjects. The material was therefore enlarged to include a total of 35 physically healthy [male] subjects in whom duplicate detns. were made within a short time. The av. % variation in the fasting level of blood sugar between the 2 tests was 9 mg. % and extended to 31 mg. % at the 1-hr. reading with a max. deviation at this point up to 90 mg. %. The relationship between the fasting, half-hour, 1-hr, and 2-hr. readings, respectively, in the 2 tests was very slight, the 1-hr. reading showing the highest covariance. This inconsistency was not improved by comparing either the max. levels attained in the 2 tests or the max. increase in the blood sugar, irrespective of time. The variability of the test is so great that it has slight diagnostic value except in diabetes mellitus.

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