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Endocrine Abstracts (2018) 56 N4.3 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.56.N4.3

ECE2018 Nurse Sessions (1) (13 abstracts)

Comparison of glucose, peak growth hormone & peak cortisol levels during insulin tolerance testing with two different doses (0.15 vs 0.10 U/kg)

Phillip Yeoh


UK.


The Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT) is the gold standard test to assess growth hormone (GH) and ACTH reserve. This dynamic test induces hypoglycaemia and is commonly performed by endocrine nurses using different insulin doses -commonly 0.15 U or 0.10 U/kg. As part of a quality and safety improvement initiative we conducted a retrospective study to address several questions relating to ITT insulin dose. ITT results (n=148) were retrieved from two large endocrine testing centres. All tests that achieved adequate hypoglycaemia on 1st insulin dose and non-diabetic patients. All patients were given glucose after achieving hypoglycaemia at 30 mins.

Results:

• Both insulin doses appear to achieve adequate hypoglycaemia

• Patient glucose levels appear to recover more quickly with the lower dose – thus an important patient safety aspect

• Peak GH levels were similar between insulin doses

• Patients receiving the standard (0.15 U/kg) dose were more likely to exhibit an adequate cortisol response, this might be due to the enhanced stimulus from longer hypoglycaemia although we cannot exclude that this is due to possible patient differences as this is not a truly random sample.

Volume 56

20th European Congress of Endocrinology

Barcelona, Spain
19 May 2018 - 22 May 2018

European Society of Endocrinology 

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