Glucose and galactose infusions in newborns of diabetic and healthy mothers.

The changes of insulin, blood sugars, lactate and free fatty acid levels were studied in 12 newborns of diabetic mothers and in 21 newborns of healthy mothers in the course of intravenous infusions of glucose and galactose at a dose of 0.5 g.kg-1.h-1. During glucose infusion a striking increase of insulin levels took place, which was higher in the infants of diabetic mothers. Galactose administration caused only a mild insulinemia increase in the 1st h of infusion. In the infants of healthy mothers blood glucose increased during the 1 st h of infusion but decreased afterwards. In the infants of diabetic mothers the increase lasted for the whole time of infusion. The decrease of free fatty acid levels was present in the course of infusions of both sugars. The results show that galactose is quickly metabolized by the newborn and provokes minimal stimulation of the insular apparatus.