Glucagon and Insulin Secretion in Low Birthweight Preterm Infants The Effect of Glucose Infusion

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Abstract
The effect of the intravenous glucose on plasma levels of glucagon and insulin were evaluated in thirty-five LBW preterm infants who were appropriate for gestational age. Their mean birthweight and gestational age were 1220 .+-. 55 g (range 750-1730 g) and 29 .+-. 1 weeks (range 25-35 weeks), respectively. A 30 min glucose infusion in 16 infants (1 g/kg b.w. in 30 min) caused a prompt and sustained suppression of plasma glucagon and a delayed but significant insulin release. The mean of the sum of maximal plasma glucagon decrements below the baseline was 173 .+-. 42 pg/ml. In another 12 infants a significant fall in plasma glucagon and a variable but significant plasma insulin release also occurred throughout the 24 h study on continuous intravenous glucose (rate 2.4-2.7 mg/kg/min). The mean of the sum of maximal plasma glucagon decrements below the baseline up to 12 h was 282 .+-. 36 and was similar to that seen in the previous group.