INFLUENCE OF HYDRAZINE SULFATE ON ABNORMAL CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM IN CANCER-PATIENTS WITH WEIGHT-LOSS

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 44  (2) , 857-861
Abstract
Patients (38) with advanced cancer and weight loss were tested in a prospectively randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the influence of hydrazine sulfate on carbohydrate metabolism in cancer cachexia. All patients had an initial 3-day inpatient metabolic evaluation including: standard 5 h p.o. [oral] glucose tolerance test, hormone studies, and total glucose production by infusion of [6-3H]glucose. After 30 days of treatment with capsules containing placebo or hydrazine sulfate in a 60-mg, 3 times/day dosage, inpatient evaluation was repeated. A total of 62 metabolic inpatient evaluations were performed. The pretreatment characteristics of age, sex, prior therapy experience, nutritional parameters and tumor types were comparable in placebo and hydrazine treatment groups. On initial evaluation, abnormal glucose tolerance and increased glucose production were frequently seen. Serial assessment of glucose tolerance showed no improvement after 30 days of placebo treatment. However, the glucose tolerance was significantly improved in patients receiving 30 days of hdyrazine sulfate [2-h glucose; initial 169 .+-. 24 (SE) mg/dl vs. final 128 .+-. 12 mg/dl; P < 0.05]. In addition, the rate of total glucose production was significantly decreased after 30 days of hdyrazine sulfate compared to placebo treatment (2.46 mg/kg per min vs. 3.07 mg/kg per min, respectively; P < 0.05). Toxic effects of hydrazine sulfate were minimal. Apparently, hydrazine sulfate can influence the abnormal carbohydrate metabolism associated with weight loss in patients with cancer.