Marked stress hyperglycemia in a child.
A 16-month-old child is presented who developed severe "stress hyperglycemia" with the onset of a respiratory distress syndrome. The serum glucose rose from 74 mg/dl to 520 mg/dl and returned to 52 mg/dl all within 24 h. These variations in serum glucose were paralleled by a similar marked increase in plasma cortisol concentration (from 41 to 90 to 36 micrograms/dl). The patient was receiving no iv dextrose and required no exogenous insulin. These data are consistent with a diagnosis of stress hyperglycemia. This report is unique in that, to our knowledge, stress hyperglycemia to levels greater than 350 mg/dl have not been previously reported in either adults or children.
D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000150:complications; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
D006854:Hydrocortisone