Reproducibility of the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test and the Rice-Meal Test in Mild Diabetics

Abstract

Reproducibility of 100 gm. oral glucose tolerance test and of Sakaguchi's rice-meal test were studied in sixty untreated mild diabetic patients with fasting blood sugar below 140 mg. per 100 ml. (Hagedorn-Jensen method). The tests were performed twice within a one-week interval. There were considerable variations of blood sugar levels in the same individuals between the duplicate tests. Variations were of similar magnitude after glucose or rice-meal and were smaller for the fasting blood sugar. There was no positive relationship between blood sugar levels after loading and their variability. Such a relationship was, however, clearly demonstrated for the fasting blood sugar levels of 360 newly referred diabetics. Average blood sugar levels and standard deviations for each group remained very stable despite individual variability. Implications of the data on evaluation of the results of these oral tests are discussed.