[Importance of adipose tissue hypertrophy for the pathogenesis of maturity-onset diabetes].

In 56 maturity-onset-diabetics and 20 test persons with pathologic glucose tolerance were established significantly larger volumes of adipocytes than in 142 test persons with normal glucose tolerance and normal serum triglycerides. The differences could only be proved taking into consideration the influence of the index of ideal weight and the difference of sex. The pathogenetic importance of the excessive hypertrophy of adipose tissue is discussed on the basis of the increased turnover rate of free fatty acids.