Skip to main content
British Medical Journal logoLink to British Medical Journal
. 1972 Nov 25;4(5838):453–454. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5838.453

Failure of Glucagon Release in Infants of Diabetic Mothers

S R Bloom, D I Johnston
PMCID: PMC1786710  PMID: 4653874

Abstract

Two hours after birth 30 normal infants had a fall in blood glucose of 20·6 mg/100 ml and a rise of plasma pancreatic glucagon of 50·7 pg/ml. Fifteen infants of diabetic mothers treated with insulin had a much greater fall in blood glucose of 77·5 mg/100 ml and a smaller rise of glucagon of 20·9 pg/ml. By comparison 14 small-for-dates infants, who are also prone to hypoglycaemia, had a blood glucose fall of 32·8 mg/100 ml and a larger rise of pancreatic glucagon of 96·0 pg/ml. It is suggested that the impaired pancreatic glucagon rise in the infants of diabetic mothers may be a significant factor in their hypoglycaemia.

Full text

PDF
453

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Adam P. A. Control of glucose metabolism in the human fetus and newborn infant. Adv Metab Disord. 1971;5:183–275. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-027305-8.50026-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baird J. D. Some aspects of carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancy with special reference to the energy metabolism and hormonal status of the infant of the diabetic woman and the diabetogenic effect of pregnancy. J Endocrinol. 1969 May;44(1):139–172. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0440139. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beard A., Cornblath M., Gentz J., Kellum M., Persson B., Zetterström R., Haworth J. C. Neonatal hypoglycemia: a discussion. J Pediatr. 1971 Aug;79(2):314–324. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(71)80123-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CORNBLATH M., NICOLOPOULOS D., GANZON A. F., LEVIN E. Y., GORDON M. H., GORDON H. H. Studies of carbohydrate metabolism in the newborn infant. IV. The effect of glucagon on the capillary blood sugar in infants of diabetic mothers. Pediatrics. 1961 Oct;28:592–601. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Farquhar J. W., Isles T. E. Hypoglycemia in newborn infants of normal and diabetic mothers. S Afr Med J. 1968 Mar 9;42(10):237–245. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Isles T. E., Dickson M., Farquhar J. W. Glucose tolerance and plasma insulin in newborn infants of normal and diabetic mothers. Pediatr Res. 1968 May;2(3):198–208. doi: 10.1203/00006450-196805000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. King K. C., Adam P. A., Clemente G. A., Schwartz R. Infants of diabetic mothers: attenuated glucose uptake without hyperinsulinemia during continuous glucose infusion. Pediatrics. 1969 Sep;44(3):381–392. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Müller W. A., Faloona G. R., Unger R. H. The effect of experimental insulin deficiency on glucagon secretion. J Clin Invest. 1971 Sep;50(9):1992–1999. doi: 10.1172/JCI106691. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Tanner J. M., Thomson A. M. Standards for birthweight as gestation periods from 32 to 42 weeks, allowing for maternal height and weight. Arch Dis Child. 1970 Aug;45(242):566–569. doi: 10.1136/adc.45.242.566. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES