[Course of the blood glucose level after cessation of a glucose infusion in the low-birth-weight infant].

The evolution of plasma glucose concentration was investigated in 8 dysmature and 5 appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) preterm infants. Mean (+/- 1 SD) plasma glucose decreased from 3,3 +/- 0,8 to 2,3 +/- 1,2 mmol/l in 30 minutes (p less than 0,01) with two values below 1,8 mmol/l. It then increased to 2,7 +/- 0,7 mmol/l at 60 minutes with no values below 1,8 mmol. In 4 (AGA) preterm infants plasma glucose decreased from 2,73 +/- 0,76 to 2,04 +/- 1,6 mmol/l at 60 minutes. One preterm infant treated with theophylline showed an increase from 4,91 to 6,05 mmol/l at 60 minutes. A negative correlation was observed only in dysmature infants between the rate of glucose infusion and the maxima drop of plasma glucose (r = 0,77 ; p less than 0,01). In dysmature infants, a drop in plasma glucose appears in correlation to the previous infusion rate of glucose. However a counterregulation appears in all dysmature infants.