Pre‐operative starvation in children

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Abstract
Summary: Ninety‐two children aged between 8 months and 8 years were fasted overnight prior to surgery. Plasma glucose and alanine concentrations were measured after the induction of anaesthesia.Of 30 children under four years, 23% had plasma glucose concentrations less than 3.3 mmolllitre. Underweight children were particularly at risk.The mean plasma alanine was low (0.17 mmolllitre) indicative of a shortfall in this essential substrate for gluconeogenesis. This probably reflects the greater obligatory glucose need of young children relative to their body protein mass.

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