Glucose homeostasis in the newborn: effects of an intravenous glucose infusion in normal and intra-uterine growth-retarded neonatal piglets.
Disturbances of glucose homeostasis are a common clinical problem in low birth weight human infants. Previous studies have demonstrated that the intra-uterine growth-retarded piglet is a suitable animal model for the study of such problems. The effects of an intravenous glucose infusion on glucose homeostasis have been studied in normal and intrauterine growth-retarded neonatal piglets using a non-steady state tracer technique. Despite suppression of hepatic glucose output, hyperglycaemia (plasma glucose greater than 10.0 mmol/l) developed in the majority of animals. The hyperglycaemia resulted from a failure to increase glucose utilisation adequately in response to the glucose infusion. Growth-retarded animals had an impaired ability to increase their rate of glucose utilisation, although, in common with the normally grown animals, they demonstrated a graded response to different infusion rates of glucose.
Flecknell
P A
PA
Comparative Biology Centre, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Wootton
R
R
Royston
J P
JP
John
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006706:Homeostasis; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000378:metabolism
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005947:Glucose