Serum Insulin and Growth Hormone Values in Children during the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Abstract

Three-hour oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on 125 nonobese children in three age groups: One-and-one-half to less than four years, four years to less than eight years and eight to twelve years of age. All children were in good health and had negative family histories for diabetes. Oral glucose was administered according to age and weight. Capillary blood was collected and analyzed for blood sugar and serum insulin and growth hormone. All insulin and growth hormone analyses were performed on specimens from children whose blood sugar values during the oral glucose tolerance test conformed with previously established standards for normal controls. No significant differences were found either for insulin or growth hormone at any of the testing periods between all age groups or between the sexes. Insulin values reached their peak sixty minutes after ingestion of glucose and returned toward fasting levels at 180 min. The highest level of growth hormone was the fasting value. A decrease occurred after administration of oral glucose with a rising trend at the 180 min. testing period. Five control children who received a nonglucose-containing vehicle orally showed no statistically significant changes in growth hormone values due to the stress of multiple finger sticks.