The effects of toxic and non-toxic serum phenytoin levels on carbohydrate tolerance and insulin levels.
The effect of toxic and non-toxic phenytoin levels on carobhydrate tolerance and insulin levels was studied in 18 patients with epilepsy and 17 control subjects. Toxic levels were defined as a serum level greater than 20 microgram/ml. Toxic levels occurred in 11 patients and nontoxic levels in seven patients. Blood glucose and insulin levels were measured at 30-min intervals for a period of 3 h following the ingestion of 50 g glucose. Blood glucose levels were measured by the ferricyanide method, and serum insulin levels by immunoassay of insulin with insulin antibody precipitate. Serum phenytoin levels were measured by gas liquid chromatography. The insulin profiles were the same for all three groups, but there was a significant delay  in reaching peak glucose concentrations in patients with toxic levels of phenytoin. It was therefore confirmed that non-toxic levels of phenytoin do not affect carbohydrate tolerance or insulin levels when phenytoin is used in the routine treatement of epilepsy, and it has also been shown that toxic levels of phenytoin do not affect carbohydrate tolerance when the high levels are detected at an early stage.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002648:Child; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010672:Phenytoin